


The Slayer and the Blinder

by StoryQueen



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Crossover Pairings, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, F/M, Minor Violence, Romance, Slow Burn, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:20:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 120,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27271804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoryQueen/pseuds/StoryQueen
Summary: Maddie is 2020's current chosen one. The vampire slayer. Until she is pulled through time to 1924 and the world of the infamous Peaky Blinders.This is a universe combo of Peaky Blinders and BTVS with an original slayer character with obvious manipulation of canon in both. Years and dates are an estimation so don't judge me too harshly! Slow burning romance with some eventual smut somewhere down the line :)Let me know what you think and hope you all enjoy this idea I've had in my head for ages!!
Relationships: Tommy Shelby/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 42
Kudos: 82





	1. A Slayer Through Time

The sound was like… well nothing that Maddie had aver heard before. Some sort of hollow roar like what a vacuum makes, just a hell of a lot louder. It was accompanied by an extremely unpleasant feeling akin to being pulled through a tight space underwater by your very bones. A sensation that made Maddie’s stomach somersault and bile begin to raise in her throat. All while she still had an equally as perturbed vamp in her grasp. 

This sensation lasted only a moment though before Maddie was relieved of this unexpected disruption to her brawl with the vampire that she was on her way to slaying. She would have been relieved in any normal circumstance, but in this case, she would have preferred that over what happened next.

Maddie and the vamp crashed in heap onto and large table which subsequently was crushed under their combined weight. The vamp seized the opportunity to get a hold of Maddie’s neck and attempted to sink its fangs into her shoulder. Maddie landed a square punch to the vamp’s head with enough force to send him flying off her and into nearby wall. Maddie regained her feet and at this point realised she was in an unfamiliar room that was furnished rather like an old fashioned office. She was also aware that there were other people in the room but with the vamp getting back on its feet she didn’t have time to take in who they were.

She and vamp exchanged several blows before Maddie seized a chunk of the now splintered table as a stake and buried it in the vamp’s heart while holding the creature by the scruff of his shirt above her. The vamp exploded into dust, which sprinkled around her like her like snow. The danger was gone, now to figure out where the hell she was.

Maddie did not expect what she faced with when she turned around, and she silently cursed herself for not being more observant of her surroundings.

Maddie was now facing a room of people all looking exceptionally shocked and threatened. There were ten people in the room who Maddie counted quickly. From how they were stood around the room and from the turned over chairs, they had been sitting around the now destroyed table when she had crashed into it. There were five women among the group; the eldest woman was looking at her like she was the devil incarnate, the colour had drained from her face and she was clutching a rosary in one hand. More importantly there were five men who now all had handguns pointed directly at her; all of them had a mixture of different expressions on their faces.

‘Woa shit ok! Please don’t shoot me!’, said Maddie, throwing up her arms and dropping the stake on the floor. She knew better than to make any kind of move to take on these men. She may have slayer strength and healing, but multiple bullets would still kill her easily.

‘What the fuck just happened?!’, questioned the man stood closest to her. He was tall and slim; his hair was shaved with one longer section on the top that was slicked back on his head. He also had a moustache and a look in his eye that Maddie recognised in someone who was, as she would have put it, a total psycho. Maddie also recognised the accent immediately as Brummie, and she felt thankful at least she was in her home city.

At this point she realised that everyone in the room was dressed like they were in an Agatha Christie novel. The women in long dresses and all the men in very expensive and handsome looking suits. Shit, surely not? Maddie thought.

‘Fuck…’, she muttered under her breath. Everyone was still staring at her as she gazed around the room, now becoming surer of her suspicions.

‘Er… what year is it?’, Maddie asked the room. Ignoring the moustached man’s question.

Everyone looked around the room at each other in bewilderment.

‘What?’, said another man, this one much younger that the rest, with sharp features and mousy blond hair.

Despite Maddie’s obviously dangerous predicament, she was getting inpatient and restless. She was not in a familiar environment and she needed to get out of it. ‘The date? You know that thing that tells you what day, month and year it is?’, she spouted sarcastically.

The room remined silent for another few seconds and Maddie thought that she was never going to get an answer and would have to find a way out of the room to find out. Then a new voice spoke up from a man that was furthest from her who was also pointing a gun at her but had remained near the shadows until this point.

‘It’s March 15th 1924’, said the man. His voice was level and cold, seemingly unperturbed by the situation in front of him. Maddie looked up at the man who spoke as he stepped further into the middle of the room. Then the penny dropped as to who these people were.

Tommy fucking Shelby. Maddie would have recognised that face anywhere. He was unmistakable; icy blue eyes that could freeze a volcano, sharp cheekbones and jaw that could cut diamonds. Dark hair cut with shaved sides and a fringe that swept across his forehead. He stood with a strong stance Maddie noticed, a posture that exhumed authority and power.

These people were the infamous Shelby family, all of them by the looks of it, and she had just crashed into the middle of their office and slayed a vamp right in front of them. She glanced very quickly around the room now and noticed numerous items that had the Shelby Company Ltd logo on it, the same logo the company still uses in 2020. Everyone in Birmingham knew of the Shelby family, their company and of course the Peaky Blinders. And everyone knew the face of Tommy Shelby; even after his death a good twenty years before Maddie was born. She could hardly believe that he was stood there in front of her.

Tommy was appraising Maddie as she now stood gawping at the group in front of her. His piercing gaze raked itself up and down her body. As did the gaze of all the other onlookers, Maddie realised. Then Maddie remembered her outfit and became extremely self-conscious very quickly. She looked down at her body which she realised was half naked with her strappy crop top, red mini skirt and her favourite chunky black boots that were especially good for kicking ass when fighting. This must have been the worse outfit she could have chosen to be blasted back in time in. She attempted to cover herself with her arms but failed horribly. Only succeeding in drawing the gaze of the men more.

‘I suggest you answer my brother’s original question’, Tommy spoke again, this time with a definite edge of intimidation to his tone.

Brother. Maddie looked at the moustached man again and now recognised him as Tommy’s older brother Arthur. Which also explained the psycho killer look she noticed earlier. She then looked at all the faces in turn and found that she could name them all. There was the younger brother John and Finn the youngest brother. Ada, their sister was stood holding onto Polly Grey, and her son Michael Grey stood close by. She spotted Esme, Linda and the last woman Maddie almost didn’t recognise but finally placed her a Lizzie Stark, Tommy’s future wife.

Maddie quickly recovered her composure. Something she had learned to do quickly as a vampire slayer and thought it best that she got out of there as quickly as possible. She also wasn’t sure that the truth was the best tac, especially since she wasn’t sure what had happened herself. However, she was never a good liar.

‘Er… I’m not sure if you’d believe me if I told you…’, she said. ‘Look, if you just let me leave you can forget that you ever saw me.’ It was a long shot, but she knew the truth would get her locked up in an insane asylum in this period in history.

‘Tell us what the fuck just happened or l’ll shoot ya brains out!’, shouted Arthur who now approached Maddie with the gun to her head. Just what she needed. She wasn’t going to let the Shelby’s intimidate her, no matter how infamously dangerous they were.

With inhuman speed, Maddie disarmed the unsuspecting Arthur once he was close enough to her whilst simultaneously getting him in chokehold. She held him fast in her arm and pointed his gun now at his head.

‘Arthur!’, shouted several members of the group. Stepping forward but faltering when she pointed the gun at him. Linda had to be held back by Lizzie as she attempted to grab Arthur. Maddie knew that violence, was a language this family understood. The other men, including Tommy continued to point their guns at her.

‘Now, I’m not that into killing humans but I will if it means I get out of here’, Maddie said. Now she looked directly at Tommy. She knew he would be the one to order the others. He met her gaze unblinkingly. Arthur was struggling to get free in her arm, she could tell that he was a strong man but it wasn’t enough to match her strength.

‘Tom… she…’, Arthur gasped as he struggled.

‘Let him go’, Tommy ordered.

‘I will. But I want reassurance that I can leave here without any bullets in me. Disarm your guns and throw them away. Then I’ll do the same and release Arthur’, warned Maddie.

‘Don’t trust her Tom’, said Polly speaking up. ‘That one’s a witch, she must be’. Polly was right in a sense. There was no doubt that Maddie was bought here through a magic portal. And her display of strength would no doubt convince any person from this era that she was a witch.

Maddie and Tommy ignored Polly’s statement. They continued to stare at each other, measuring each other up while the rest of the room looked on nervously.

‘Alright’, Tommy finally said. With that he opened the barrel of his pistol and emptied the bullets onto the floor with a clatter. He then threw the gun across the floor into the corner. ‘Everyone put your guns down. Do as she says’.

‘Are you mad Tom?!’, called John.

‘Just do it, all of you’, said Tommy. Looking at each of them individually and nodding his assent to them. One by one they begrudgingly disarmed and discarded their guns.

‘Lovely’, chimed Maddie. She released her hold on Arthur and pushed him sharply to Linda who’s arms he stumbled into, Linda sobbed slightly. Everyone but Tommy took a position as if expecting Maddie to open fire on them, but she kept her word and disarmed her gun with expert proficiency that Tommy, Arthur and John all noticed.

‘Now could you please direct me to the way out and I’ll be on my way’, said Maddie.

The Shelby’s just looked at her in shock. 

‘First you tell us who you are and what the hell we just witnessed’, demanded Ada now. There was a fiery confidence in her which Maddie appreciated which reminded her of herself.  
Maddie sighed and looked at the ceiling. ‘Like I said before, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you’, she repeated.

‘Try us’, said Tommy. Maddie turned to him as he approached her, striding across the room to her. Maddie looked at him in a new way now which sent a shiver down her spine. His presence was chilling and powerful. She allowed herself to notice how handsome he was, and how well muscled he seemed, even under the three piece suit he was wearing. God he was sexy. The stories she’d been told about the legendary Tommy Shelby were not enough to encapsulate this man.

Maddie let herself smile at him, now beginning to enjoy her time travelling excursion if it meant she could look at this fine specimen of a man. They regarded each other briefly before Maddie decided, what the hell? What did she have to lose? They wouldn’t believe whatever she said, may as well entertain herself with their reactions to the truth.

‘My name is Maddie. I’m a vampire slayer. And I’m from the future, the year 2020 specifically. I was fighting that vampire you all saw, only we got sucked in by what I’m assuming was a time portal of some kind, ending up here in 1924. Now I’m stuck here so I need to find a way to get back to my time’, Maddie paused and realised then where she needed to go. ‘I need to get to London ASAP’. As she predicted the Shelby’s were now even more confused and bewildered than before, looking at her as if she was a lunatic.

Maddie looked back at Tommy. His face was emotionless, just on eyebrow raised in reaction to her spiel. 

‘This woman’s mad Tom’, Arthur spoke up now.

Maddie rolled her eyes and huffed. ‘No shit Sherlock! Look, I know I sound crazy but how else would you explain what you saw?’.

Arthur stuttered for a moment under his breath and sat down on a chair grumbling.

Maddie rolled her eyes again. ‘Well now I’ve answered your question it’s up to you to decide if you believe me. But I’m leaving’, Maddie said. She spotted a long coat hanging on a coat peg near a door, which from the window next to it seemed to lead out onto a street outside. ‘And I’ll be needing that coat’, she indicated to the hook. The last thing she needed was the whole city of Birmingham seeing a strangely dressed and half naked girl marching across the city.

‘Wait…’, said Tommy as she went to walk past him, grabbing her arm. His hand was firm yet gentle. Despite her better judgement, her treacherous heart skipped with the contact, Tommy was making an impression on her more so than she could have ever predicted. She looked up at him questioningly. His eyes bore into hers as he spoke.

‘You’re obviously not here to hurt me or my family or you would have done it by now. You’re evidently very strong and dangerous’, Tommy then gripped Maddie’s arm slightly harder, feeling the hard muscles of her arms. ‘I could use someone like you, and I can help you get the information you need. And help you get to London if that’s where you need to go’. 

Maddie could hardly believe her ears. ‘I could use you’, he’d said. A slayer, an instrument of the Peaky Blinders. The idea repulsed and scared Maddie, but at the same time excited her. The others obviously couldn’t believe their ears either as they were now looking at Tommy angrily aghast. Maddie could have sworn she saw out the corner of her eye Polly and Ada roll their eyes in unison, though she didn’t know why their reaction was different to everyone else’s.

Maddie needed to get out of there, and fast, before she got into trouble. She knew better than to get in the with Peaky Blinders. She could cause a lot of damage if they utilised her skills. She glanced to the door. Lizzie was stood near the door, her gaze not fixed on her face but firmly on Tommy’s grip on her arm. A burning jealously plastered clearly on her face. How could she be jealous of some crazy woman who’d appeared out of nowhere and been there less than five minutes? But this gave Maddie another ‘what the hell’ idea.

Maddie turned back to look at Tommy again, smiling. In the light from the window Maddie noticed how long Tommy’s eyelashes were, how full and soft his lips looked and the small scar on one of his cheeks. She pulled her arm from his grip and replied, ‘Sorry Tommy, that’s a nice offer any everything but… I’ll be better off on my own’. And with that Maddie stood on tiptoe, grabbed either side of Tommy’s face, gripping the long hair on top of his head, and connected her lips to his firmly in a rather hot and sexy kiss, she thought. His lips were indeed soft. As if instinctively Tommy’s hands gripped her bare waist roughly as he kissed back and Maddie felt her heart quicken. She pulled away after a couple of seconds and made eye contact with him again. Tommy for the first time since Maddie had crashed into the Shelby office looked surprised. Maddie smirked cockily.

‘Bye’, she laughed. Lifting her hand in a short wave she strode to the coat hook. She was acutely aware that the whole room had witnessed the kiss and were now regarding Tommy speechlessly as he watched her walk away. Lizzie however was burning holes into Maddie as she walked past as if she had laser vision. Maddie grabbed the coat and threw it on. Thankfully it was the perfect size and covered her whole body. She pulled the handle of the door, but it was locked. Damn.

‘Oh and er… sorry about the door’. And with that Maddie yanked the door sharply, breaking the lock and latch which clattered to the floor, and strode out of the doorway onto the cold Birmingham street.


	2. Following the Girl

Tommy focussed on the broken door latch on the floor, which the girl had just torn from the wood of the doorframe before she had exited the office. All his family members settled for staring at him or also at the broken door.

Thoughts were racing through Tommy’s mind as he stared. Who the fuck was that girl? She had shown unreal strength and speed. Tommy played with the idea that he was asleep and that he had been dreaming but from the very real reactions of his family he concluded he had indeed been awake. Her accent was certainly Brummie, which was the only familiar thing about her. Tommy thought back to just a few minutes earlier when there had been a deafening boom, a flash of light and then this girl along with a man with a distorted face had crashed into his very expensive meeting table out of thin air. Then she proceeded fight this creature with an impressive amount of skill and then lifted him above her head to bury some wood into his chest. Tommy questioned his ability to trust his own eyes because his brain was struggling to accept that the man she had stabbed with a piece of wood had then exploded into a cloud of dust.

Vampire slayer, that’s what she had called herself. Impossible, vampires aren’t real, thought Tommy. But the girl’s words spoke up in his head: ‘How else would you explain what you just saw?’. Then another thought crossed Tommy’s mind in that moment: I can’t let that girl get away.

‘Finn’, Tommy finally spoke, turning to his youngest brother. Finn’s face was white as a sheet, he continued to stare at the door after the girl for a couple of seconds before responding.

‘Yeah, Tom?’, he responded, finally looking at Tommy.

‘Follow her’, Tommy ordered. Finn along with everyone else began to protest angrily. 

‘What the fuck Tom! You saw what she did…’, Finn trailed off, already knowing that protesting was futile. Tommy knew he would do as he asked, even if it meant following this woman.

‘You can’t be seriously considering sending your own brother after that woman?!’, protested Ada. Tommy turned to her and Polly who were looking back at him disdainfully.

‘Of course, he his’, droned Polly venomously. ‘Even when a strange woman appears out of nowhere and destroys our office. Tommy Shelby still thinks with his cock’.  
Tummy huffed and pinched the bridge of his nose in in irritation. The annoying thing was he knew Polly wasn’t entirely wrong. The kiss this stranger had just pulled him into replayed in his head, and he felt his blood start to flow somewhere other than his brain. Her lips had been soft, as had her skin of her waist. He had also felt the solid, steel-like muscles of her torso under that soft skin, like the muscles he had felt in her arm. What was she? Was what she was saying about being a vampire slayer true? But that would be foolish to believe something so ridiculous. One thing’s for certain though, he thought, this woman was extraordinary, and extraordinary was something the Shelby Company Ltd needed. 

‘She could be of use to us, Pol’, Tommy replied, locking eyes with his aunt as he typically did to assert his authority. 

‘Oh I’m sure she could!’, laughed Polly, completely unafraid of his glare. ‘Though I’m sure her usefulness to this company isn’t the only thing you have in mind Thomas’.

All the women exchanged looks of distaste, Lizzie especially. John and Arthur audibly snickered, they’d obviously recovered their composure and their sense of humour. Tommy decided he was exhausted with his family at that point.

‘Follow the girl Finn, figure out where she’s heading. I’ll meet you outside the Garrison in the car’. Finn nodded reluctantly. He looked around nervously before hesitantly approaching the ruined door and peered out onto Watery Lane. Satisfied that the girl was far enough away he stepped out of the door and Tommy heard his footsteps retreat down the path.

‘As for the rest of you, the family meeting is postponed. You all have work to be getting on with. And get this mess cleaned up’, Tommy gestured to the pile of wood that once was a table. And with that he marched from the room towards the back door.

‘He’s lost his bloody mind!’, Tommy heard Esme hiss as he disappeared down the corridor. Followed by a hum of assent from the rest of his family.

They had better get used to the fucking idea, Tommy thought. He fully intended on making this woman a part of his plans. If she agreed, she would be indispensable.

Tommy went out into the rear alley and followed his usual path to where the car was parked. He got in and sat behind the wheel, finally free from the judgemental eyes that had been watching him. He lit up a cigarette from his cigarette case and drew on it hungrily, filling the car with the musty smoke. Tommy sat in the closed eyed in the smoky fog and cast his mind back again to the events that had just occurred. 

He and his family had almost fallen to the floor when they jumped from their chairs when the girl, Maddie he recalled her name, had landed squarely in the middle of the table during the family meeting. He still couldn’t wrap his head round what happened next, how she displayed such inhuman levels of strength and speed. He pictured her in his head. The odd clothing that barely covered her body, the clothing she was wearing had clung to her form tightly. Her hair was brown, long and wavy, Tommy imagined it was soft and silky to touch. Her Brummie accent wasn’t unlike their own but the way she spoke and some of the words she used weren’t familiar to him. She had said she was from the future. Could it be true too?

Tommy sat there in the car for several minutes thinking about Maddie. He remembered how skilled she was in handling a gun, how she had held eye contact with him without any sign of fear, that made her dangerous. No one had looked at Tommy Shelby in the eye like that and lived. It was foolish and rash of him to disarm himself and his family he realised, but it turned out to be the right call. Even if it meant he might now have to search the city for Maddie.

Tommy’s thoughts drifted back to the kiss. That had surprised him the most. Until that point, he had somehow managed to maintain his regular air of indifference to the situation, but that kiss had betrayed his shock. She had even looked smug about it afterwards. Thinking about that moment made Tommy realise he wanted to kiss Maddie again, to make her face look shocked while he smiled in smugly in response. Tommy felt his cock begin to harden in his trousers at the thought, prompting him to snap out of his daydream. Maddie had had such an effect on Tommy that she had wormed her way into his mind in just one, admittedly very bizarre, interaction. And Tommy cursed himself for allowing her to do so.

Tommy ran his hands over his face and through his hair to bring himself back to the present and back to his senses. He started the car and began to make his way to the Garrison, hoping he’d given Finn enough time to tail the girl and make the rendezvous there.

Sure enough, as he pulled up Garrison Lane, Tommy spotted Finn leaning against the wall of the Garrison, smoking. Finn spotted the car and got in next to Tommy.  
‘Well?’, questioned Tommy as soon as the car door was shut.

‘Looks like she’s heading towards Snow Hill station Tom, up past the Blues ground’, said Finn.

‘Good. Now head back to the office. Tell everyone to meet us at Arrow House’, ordered Tommy. Finn looked at Tommy, disappointed. ‘And see if you can find out anything about this Maddie, anyone who might know who she is’. Tommy had to eliminate the possibility she wasn’t in fact an escaped lunatic.

‘But Tom, don’t you want me to help you when you find her? You know, if she tries to- ‘. Tommy cut Finn off by turning and glaring at him.

‘Fine’, Finn huffed. He slumped out of the car and began to walk back down Garrison Lane. Sulking like a teenager, which of course he was Tommy conceded. 

Tommy wanted as much time as he could get with Maddie on his own without any member of his family chipping in. He wanted to question her privately without the hysterical interjections. With that in mind he pulled away again and headed in the direction of Snow Hill station.


	3. In Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! This one is a bit longer than the last so I hope you enjoy!

Maddie realised as she began to stride away from the Shelby’s and to the end of the road that navigating 1920’s Birmingham, despite the city being familiar to her in her own time, was going to be a challenge.

The streets were cobbled and muddy. The air was heavy and dense, almost chalky from the soot and smoke from the factory chimney’s Maddie could see sprouting up around the skyline. The city felt grey and dreary and there was a bitter chill in the air making Maddie draw the long coat tightly around her, making sure all her skin was covered. Birmingham certainly was unrecognisable at first inspection. Maddie looked in awe at the goings on of daily life around her, whilst keeping her head down as to not draw undue attention.

She saw people in old fashioned dress going about their day, sweeping their front steps and beating out their rugs, something Maddie would never have seen in the modern day. She saw one of those old cars she’d seen on old photographs chug past the crossroads ahead of her.

‘Wow, this is trippy as fuck’, muttered Maddie to herself. But kinda cool though, she thought to herself. How many people get to go back in time and see living history?

Maddie reached the end of the street and glanced up at the road sign, ‘Watery Lane’, she said, reading it aloud. Yes! Maddie thought, I know where I am…kind off. By now Maddie sensed the people on the street were looking at her curiously, no doubt recognising a strange face in a place where everyone knew each other. Shit, she needed to move faster, no doubt the Shelby’s, Tommy specifically, would be trying to find her, she was sure of it. Which would be easy for him if all the residents of Small Heath had witnessed an unfamiliar woman wandering through their streets.

Better get move on, Maddie decided. She started walking in the direction of Snow Hill train station, well her best guess of that direction anyway. She picked up a fast pace, keeping her head down as she marched forward. Putting as much distance as she could between her and Watery Lane. The icy breeze creeped up under the coat and bit at the bare skin underneath. To add insult to injury she had been blasted through time from summer in her time to winter in this one. Bloody typical.

As Maddie started to create distance between her and the Shelby’s, she chuckled to herself as the realisation of what she just did hit her. She had kissed Tommy fucking Shelby. The Tommy Shelby. She had just kissed the most well-known and influential person in Birmingham’s history. She remembered learning about the Shelby Company and its founders in school, like most kids did in Birmingham. Maddie was surprised at how well she remembered her history when faced with the Shelby’s in the flesh, being able to identify them just from memories of various photos of them taken over the course of the 20th century. She admitted she knew more about them than most, she had been forced to have dealings with the modern Shelby Company Ltd as part of her slaying, prompting her to do more research on them in the process.

As for that cheeky kiss, who wouldn’t have stolen a kiss from a real-life legend? Not to mention one of the sexiest men ever. Maddie couldn’t deny that she was chuffed with Tommy’s reaction to the kiss, that look of shock on his face almost made her burst out laughing. As if she’d managed to get a reaction out of one history’s most notorious gangsters with just a quick kiss. Gangster. Fuck Maddie, you stupid fool. Why would you kiss one of the most dangerous men in recent history? You’re a slayer, a good guy! You can’t go around kissing criminals, even the hot ones. She berated herself in her head for her idiocy, but still she couldn’t bring herself to regret what she did. She could feel his lips and hands on her as she pictured the kiss in her mind and part of her wished she could experience that again, her heart fluttering at the possibility. Which was why she needed to get to the station and the hell out of Birmingham as fast as she could.

To distract herself from thinking about Tommy, Maddie focussed on drawing up a plan of action for getting herself back home. And that plan involved getting to the watcher’s council. Maddie didn’t have a watcher like her many predecessors, none of the recent slayers had, since the watcher’s council was blown up by The First almost twenty years before Maddie’s time. Maddie had been trained by the new society of individuals who had trained the army of slayers after Buffy’s manipulation of the slayer line. However, that had happened well before she had become a slayer, and now there was only one slayer again, her. Maddie knew from her study of the watcher’s diaries that the watcher’s council in this time had unmatched power and many resources in the way of magic. If anyone would be able to get her back to her time it would be them; but that meant convincing them of who she was, which she knew would be a headache in and of itself. First, she just needed to get to London.

Maddie continued through the Birmingham streets and found that she started to recognise certain areas and buildings that were still around in her time, helping her get her bearings and point her in the right direction. She walked past the Garrison pub, it looked like the old photos she’d seen in the future. Seeing all these old places in person was a surreal experience, the gloomy atmosphere made it feel like she was actually walking through a black and white photograph. Maddie’s senses were pricked onto high alert as she walked past the pub, the types of people around this area looked proper dodgy, Maddie thought. Plus, she was getting the distinct feeling she was being followed.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, a scruffy and evidently drunk man stumbled up to Maddie making her stop in her tracks as he grinned darkly at her. Maddie felt her stomach turn at the strong smell of alcohol emanating from him.

‘Ello, luv. You new around here? You’re very pretty…’, the man slurred, followed by a sickly belch. Maddie scrunched her nose at the man. Great, she thought. She’d been in the past for less than an hour and a wretched slug of a man was already perving on her.

‘Move’, Maddie threatened. She hadn’t let Tommy Shelby get the better of her, so she certainly wasn’t going to let this drunk creep do so.

‘Aw, that’s not very nice luv…’, the man drawled. He reached out a hand to grab Maddie. She caught his hand with hers and squeezed with an iron-like grip. She felt the small bones of his hand crack and splinter in hers. The man yelped in pain and clutched at his hand to his chest, drawing the gazes of others nearby.

‘You fucking bitch!’, the man screeched with tears in his eyes. Maddie pushed the bastard over as she started her march forward again, causing him to land face first in the mud whimpering. That’ll teach him, she smirked.

Maddie swiftly cut down a nearby alleyway and out of sight. She emerged on the other side and promptly kept walking as fast as she could go without actually running. I need to get out of here right now, she thought, leaving a trail like that will no doubt attract the attention of the Peaky Blinders, and Tommy.

Maddie headed past the Birmingham City ground, barely recognisable as the same building she knew. Not much further to the station though, she realised thankfully.

When Maddie did finally reach the station, she let herself give a small sigh of relief. Now all she needed to do was buy a ticket and… Fuck. Money. She had no money! Well no old timey money that she would have needed to get a ticket there. The £20 note in her pocket would hardly do her any good. How could she have missed something so important and obvious. This trip through time was making Maddie look like an amateur, and she hated it.

Maddie huffed in frustration and looked around the entrance to the station, hoping to get some inspiration as for what to do next. She debated whether to ask a friendly looking stranger for money, but she realised she wouldn’t know how much to ask for. She knew that money was worth a lot less in these times and she didn’t want to look like an idiot by asking for too much or too little. Maddie felt herself becoming anxious, she was wasting too much time lingering here, she knew the Blinder’s would find her here before too long.

As Maddie frantically tried to come up with a new plan, she didn’t notice or hear the loud rugged hum of a car engine pull up at the entrance to the station behind her, followed by a car door slamming shut. She did however notice the sudden, eery change in the crowd’s behaviour. They all quickly looked nervous and terrified and started moving off and away quickly, ducking their heads as if to avoid something behind Maddie.

‘I see you managed to find your way here alright for someone from the future’, said a familiarly cold and emotionless voice from close behind Maddie. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! How had she let him sneak up on her like that, she was losing her touch for sure. Maddie shut her eyes and made a pained face before taking a deep breath and turning around to face Tommy with an as calm and unsurprised expression as she could muster.

‘Oh, hi’, she said, smiling innocently. Her heart betrayed her again and skipped a beat when she looked up at him. Tommy now looked even more dangerous and sexy with the addition of the long black overcoat and iconic peaked cap which cast a sinister shadow over his face so Maddie couldn’t see his eyes clearly, but it succeeded in making his lips look more enticing. ‘So how did you find me?’, she asked, although she already had an inkling to the answer.

‘I had Finn follow you. You went past the Garrison I assume, seeing as I saw a pissed off bloke outside clutching his hand in pain’, Tommy said. One corner of his mouth was turned up in an almost smile. Maddie bristled to his smugness; she had indeed made it easy for him to find her.

‘Well, I’m flattered you followed me all this way’, said Maddie, fluttering her eyelashes at him almost instinctively. Was she flirting with him? Seriously Maddie are you loosing your mind?! ‘But I really should be leaving now’, she continued. Then she remembered her current problem and decided to try her luck. ‘You couldn’t give me any money for a ticket to London, could you?’, she asked, crossing her fingers at her sides.

Tommy let out a short huff of a laugh of disbelief. ‘You don’t have any money?’, he asked.

Maddie felt her face flush with embarrassment, and she knew that Tommy had noticed as well due to the tell-tale quirk of his sexy lips returning in a smug smile. Bloody bastard was making a fool out of her, she wanted to smack him but knew better than to show up Tommy Shelby in the middle of a public place.

‘Yes ha ha, very funny’, Maddie trilled. ‘But I hardly prepared to be in 1924, the money I do have isn’t exactly in use yet’. 

Tommy cleared his throat before he replied, ‘Well you’d have a hard time getting to London if you did have any money. There’s only one train to London on a Sunday and it left three hours ago’.

Seriously? Maddie definitely didn’t have luck on her side today. What was she going to do now? 

‘Oh, great. Just my luck’, said Maddie rolling her eyes, speaking her mind.

‘There is another option. You could take me up on my offer’, said Tommy, seeing Maddie’s evident anxiety. ‘You can stay at my house for as long as you need. It’ll be getting dark soon and you don’t want to be around this part of the city at night’.

Maddie scoffed at this ‘I can take care of myself, Tommy’, she stated coldly.

‘I don’t doubt it. But it is due to snow tonight and I don’t think you’re equipped to protect yourself against the cold in nothing but a coat’, Tommy remarked, yet again looking smug. The coat remark was definitely a dig at her lack of regular clothing. Why did she have to wear such skimpy outfits?

Damn and fuck. He was winning, Maddie realised. His offer was looking particularly tempting by now. She didn’t fancy spending the night freezing her tits off and she was fast running out of options. She glanced around and noticed people peering at her and Tommy curiously, wondering who she must be to have Tommy Shelby stand and talk to her in the middle of a train station for so long. Tommy was obviously used to the public acting this way around him as he didn’t even seem to notice them. She needed to make a decision, and fast. Maddie looked up at Tommy again.

‘Say I come back with you, what do you want in return?’, questioned Maddie, dreading the answer.

A genuine smile, all be it small, painted Tommy’s face in response to this question and he simply said: ‘We can discuss business when we get back’, he turned to the side, holding out his arm to gesture to the expensive looking car parked just outside the entrance.

Maddie hesitated. Business, he’d said. That didn’t sound good, she knew Tommy was a brilliant and formidable businessman. He was also a master of manipulation and of getting what he wanted, Maddie felt that getting into his car and accepting his offer would be like falling into his trap. But she also knew that he was her best option of getting to London and one step closer to the watcher’s council any time soon.

Maddie had made her decision. ‘Alright Tommy’, she nodded to him, finally giving in. She walked with him to the car and got in. Maddie was now in business with the Peaky Blinders.

***  
For the first few minutes of the drive Maddie sat in the passenger seat admiring the lavish interior of Tommy’s car whilst he drove silently. He’d lit up a cigarette as he got in the car, offering her one which she politely declined. The car quickly filled with smoke, which caused Maddie to waft the air around her as she looked at all the expensive fixtures. She knew how rich and gaudily he lived, that was no secret. But seeing the evidence of this in person was another experience entirely. I mean there was gold on the trim for god’s sake! Not bothered as to whether Tommy would tell her off, Maddie began fiddling with the attachments and feeling the different materials of the dashboard with avid fascination. They didn’t make cars like this in her time, which was a real shame she thought.

She felt the burn of Tommy’s inquisitive gaze as she pawed at his car, leaving fingerprints on the shiny surfaces. She let the coat she was wearing fall open to uncover her bare legs, thankful to be in an environment where she didn’t have to be covered up in an oversized coat. But she also did it knowing that her skirt was sitting very high up her thighs and would attract Tommy’s gaze. He’d managed to win the round of getting her to go with him, so she at least wanted to have some fun winding him up on the journey.

‘What are you doing?’, Tommy finally asked, showing his irritation to Maddie’s vandalization of his car.

‘Sorry’, apologised Maddie, although she continued her poking around, including pulling out a gold-plated ashtray from the door which she turned over in her hands. ‘They don’t exactly make cars like this is the future’, she mused.

‘Hmm’, Tommy paused. ‘So, you were born in Birmingham?’ he asked as he turned his attention back to the road.

Maddie finally stopped fidgeting and turned to look at Tommy. ‘Yep. Sutton Coldfield, 1995’, she recounted chirpily. ‘Birmingham, born and raised’.

Tommy nodded, taking the information in. ‘And you’re a… slayer?’, he asked, saying the word slayer like he was still trying to understand it, which Maddie guessed he probably was.

‘Yeah that’s me’, Maddie smiled more tentatively this time, she knew where this line of questioning was going.

‘And what exactly is a slayer?’, asked Tommy. Finally, voicing the question he was obviously building up to.

Maddie sighed, she wasn’t that keen on the idea of explaining to him what a slayer was, what it meant, or how it felt. But she had a feeling Tommy was going to ask all these questions and more.

‘I fight evil, basically. ‘One girl in all the world, only she will have the strength and skill to fight the vampires… blah blah blah’’, Maddie quoted, bored of recounting this phrase that she couldn’t seem to forget no matter how hard she tried. The truth was Maddie disliked explaining the slayer gig to anyone. It was a lonely life and would probably be a short one. She had learnt to embrace the calling in adulthood, but it was still a subject that was weird to talk about.

‘That sounds very lonely’, stated Tommy, as if reading Maddie’s mind. She looked over at him and he looked back momentarily, giving Maddie a look of recognition to what she was feeling. She realised that she shared something in common with Tommy that she didn’t share with anyone else back home. Loneliness. She felt herself blush and was thankful Tommy had turned back to look at the road and hadn’t noticed.

As Tommy drove them out of Birmingham and into the countryside, he asked Maddie more questions about slayers and their abilities. Maddie spent the rest of the journey answering Tommy’s questions and giving him as concise of a history as best she could. About the slayer line, their inherited power and duty to protect the world. About the temporary army of slayers and their demise. How she had been a slayer since she was seventeen, a late calling compared to other girls, and had managed to stay alive since then. How in the future, Birmingham had become a centre for mystical convergence which was why she still lived there as its protector. Maddie wondered during her monologue whether she should be telling Tommy any of this. Slayers were underground and secret at this point in time and she’d only gone and told him pretty much everything about them. She began to panic inside her head, what if this fucks up history and destroys the world? She was starting to wish that she was at home with her friends and the familiarity of her local graveyard. 

Tommy just listened and nodded to her retelling of slayer history while he focussed on the road. Not giving any other significant reaction to her story.

‘Where are we going?’, Maddie asked when a silence had fallen between them after Maddie had finished.

‘Warwickshire. It’s not much further’, Tommy replied.

Maddie settled back in her seat and became content to watch the scenery go by as the sun started to set over the horizon. She felt Tommy glace over at her intermittently, eyeing up her bare legs that she had crossed. Maddie smirked secretly to herself, enjoying having Tommy’s attention. The rebellious side of her was having a great time being the infamous gangsters current focus and it was helping her to feel more confident in herself.

After a few more minutes of driving they pulled off the main road onto a path between some trees. When the car emerged, they were on a long driveway leading to a huge mansion. Arrow House. Of course, Maddie thought, remembering that this property was still owned by the Shelby family in her time. It was intimidating to look at, not at all surprising that it would be Tommy Shelby’s home.

Tommy pulled the car up outside the front door without saying a word.

They got out of the car and Maddie followed Tommy through the front door into the foyer of the huge house. Maddie gasped when she entered, she had never seen inside somewhere like this before. Everything she could see looked like it cost more than her own home and she made a mental note to be careful not to break anything.

As soon as they entered a woman in a maid’s uniform greeted Tommy and took his coat and hat off him, Maddie admired his face in profile as he handed his things to her.

‘Is this the guest we were to be expecting Mr Shelby?’, asked the maid, indicating to Maddie with a rather sour look on her face.

‘Yes, Francis. If you could show her to her room and find her some clothes to wear as well’, Tommy said, turning to Maddie, a glint of another smug smile in his blue eyes. Maddie gave him a sarcastic smile in return.

Francis gave a curt nod, she looked confused by the clothes request and by looks that the two of them had just exchanged, ‘Your family are waiting for you in the drawing room sir’, she said.

Maddie looked up inquisitively at Tommy. ‘Your family?’, she questioned. He’d asked them to come back here. Maddie felt nervous about having to speak to his family again, especially since she’d held one of them at gunpoint just a couple of hours ago.

‘I’ll speak to them. Go and get changed and I’ll have Francis come and call for you shortly’, he replied, and looked at Francis expectantly. 

Francis regarded Maddie for a moment and then held her hand out to take Maddie’s coat as well. Well this should be interesting, thought Maddie. She realised that this was why Tommy was lingering to watch this unfold. Maddie sighed and took off the coat, revealing her very odd outfit which didn’t leave much to the imagination. Francis almost dropped the things she was holding when she noticed, as Maddie held the coat out to her. Maddie tried not to laugh at her reaction, and she noticed that Tommy’s small non-smile was playing at the edges of his lips again too.

Francis managed to compose herself quickly and said, ‘Follow me please miss’. Tommy nodded to Maddie as she went to follow Francis towards the staircase and Tommy started to walk in the opposite direction, Maddie assumed towards the drawing room.

Maddie followed Francis up the staircase and she looked at the large paintings that lined the wall as they ascended. There were grand portraits of Tommy that Maddie thought were very impressive and captured him well. Then she passed a portrait of a beautiful blonde woman and Maddie’s heart sank. Grace. Shit how could she have forgotten about Grace? The cogs in Maddie’s mind turned again as she tried to recall what she knew about Tommy’s first wife. Eventually she pulled the information out of her memory and realised that Grace must be dead, but it couldn’t have been for even a year yet. She imagined how hurt Tommy must have been when she died, how much pain he must still be in, and she felt she could share his pain of losing someone so close. She had lost friends and family over the course of her life already and she knew the pain well. She also felt a pang of guilt for kissing Tommy earlier, and for flirting with him but she shook the feeling off.

Francis lead Maddie down the upstairs corridor to a modest sized room. There was a four-poster bed and all the furnishings were as posh as the rest of the house.

‘Your room miss, I’ll be back shortly with some clothes more suiting of a young woman’, Francis stated, with a definite tone of distaste. But before Maddie could respond back in-kind Francis had scuttled out and shut the door behind her.

‘Well Maddie, you’ve gone and done it now. You’re in the house of the most dangerous gang to ever exist and you’re planning on staying the night.’, Maddie spoke to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. She went over to the bed and sat down, feeling the bounciness of the mattress beneath her. Then she took off her boots and socks and relished in the feeling of her feet and toes being free of their confinement. She put her feet on the floor and felt the soft carpet between her toes.

Francis soon returned with a pile of clothes and left again without saying a word. Old timey people were so hung up about stuff, Maddie thought rolling her eyes. She inspected the clothes and saw that Francis had brought a full outfit right down to the underwear. Maddie wondered whether these clothes had belonged to Grace but decided best not to dwell on it. She sighed, picked up the pants and stockings and began to get changed.


	4. Welcome Party

‘I still don’t like this Tom’, grumbled Arthur as he paced back and forward behind the sofa where Linda and Lizzie sat. Linda had been nodding her agreement with her husband whenever he had spoken. Tommy had no doubt that she had instructed Arthur on what to say and Tommy felt his blood boiling at the knowledge.

‘Maddie is of no threat to us. She has agreed to negotiate with us in exchange for helping her get to London’, Tommy repeated for the umpteenth time, blowing air out his nostrils in frustration. He could feel his temper bubbling dangerously under his skin. Since Tommy had set foot in the drawing room, his family had done nothing but resist his decision to bring Maddie back and make her part of his plans for the company. He admitted to himself he couldn’t exactly blame them. But surely they could see that she would be an indispensable asset?

‘How do we know that she isn’t here to spy on us Tommy? We aren’t exactly short of enemies in this family’, said Ada, ever the voice of reason. She was the only person who had shared any concerns of merit, ones that Tommy had already had himself. ‘Besides that, although she evidently has talents that would be useful to anyone, would they be any good if she turns out to be completely crack-pot?’.

Ada was right of course. During the drive with Maddie back to Arrow House, Tommy had considered several times on changing his course and dropping Maddie off at the local asylum. But their conversation about her calling, as she put it, as the slayer had changed his mind. The conviction in the way she had told him about her world made him believe her. The way she spoke made Tommy realise that she was a woman who was carrying a lot on her shoulders and carried the loneliness that went along with that. Tommy had a lot more in common with Maddie than he ever thought possible.

Although he would never admit this to his family, another motivator for having Maddie around was pure fascination and curiosity. He had never met a woman who acted or spoke like Maddie, the way she held herself exuded confidence; confidence possessed by someone with a knowledge that they possessed power that no one else had. She was comfortable in her own skin, and she evidently liked to show a lot of it. Tommy was reminded of Maddie’s bare and exposed legs sat next to him in the car; he knew that she was flaunting them on purpose. Nevertheless, he had wanted to reach over and feel her smooth fair skin in his palm but had managed to maintain his self-restraint. He wanted to know everything about Maddie, and he could only do that if she stuck around.

Tommy had recounted a brief summary of what Maddie had told him in the car, deciding that complete transparency with his family on this matter would be the best way to get them on side. As predicted, they had reacted in a mixture of ways but none of them were one hundred percent convinced. Lizzie had been prepared to take up arms and slaughter Maddie in her room there and then, convinced that she was there to kill them all. His brothers had their evident reservations but had mostly come around to the idea, even as Arthur continued to grumble Tommy could tell his resolve was waning. His aunt had even started to see things his way, Tommy believed that Polly was also curious about Maddie and wanted to learn more about her as he did.

‘She’s from Birmingham, her accent obviously tells us that’, Tommy finally replied to Ada. ‘But as Finn has also found out, no one knows who she is or even seen her before. And seeing as this is our city and we know everything about everyone, that makes me think that what she is saying about being from the future is true’, finished Tommy. Indeed, Finn had been successful in gathering a significant amount of information between getting out of the car outside the Garrison and getting to Arrow House. Everyone he spoke to had never heard of her and the number of people who saw her didn’t recognise her at all.

The repetition of this information seemed to be enough to get the room to concede and agree to Tommy’s decision. At least for now.

‘So that settles it’, finished Tommy. ‘I’ll have Frances bring her down and you can get any questions out that any of you feel would make you feel better about the situation’.

Tommy instructed Frances to fetch and escort Maddie to the drawing room. Everyone fidgeted nervously while they waited in anticipation. Tommy did what he usually did to distract himself during these scenarios, he cleared his throat and lit a cigarette, drawing the burning smoke into his lungs hungrily.

When Frances returned with Maddie, Tommy almost didn’t recognise her. She was now wearing the familiar clothes that women usually wore, a long shin length mauve dress that was buttoned up to her collar bone with a matching cardigan. The outfit hid her figure, the opposite of her own clothes that she had previously worn. Tommy unexpectantly found he felt slightly disappointed, he realised he liked seeing her body more than he expected. From the looks he noticed on the other men’s faces, they also must have felt the same way. She had pinned her hair back to one side and it tumbled over one of her shoulders in glossy brown waves. 

‘Thank you, Frances. You can return to let us know when dinner is ready’, said Tommy. Frances nodded and left the room, leaving Maddie stood awkwardly where she left her in front of the door. He noticed that her eyes scanned the room quickly and instinctively, landing on all the windows and doors in turn. She was identifying the exits he realised, a habit that was common amongst people with military training. He wondered whether she even realised she was doing it.

‘Maddie, please have a seat’, Tommy gestured to the empty chair next to where he stood.

Maddie looked over to him and the chair, ‘Okay’, she said slowly. Maddie approached the chair and sat down. She smoothed the skirt of the dress out over her knees as she said sarcastically ‘This isn’t at all intimidating’.

‘You’re one to talk’, Linda snapped quickly. ‘What were you expecting when you held a gun to my husbands head?’. 

Maddie turned to Linda and sized her up, meeting her eyes confidently. ‘With all due respect, there were five guns pointed at my head if I remember right’, replied Maddie. ‘Granted I may have given you all a fright, but I didn’t make any move to hurt any of you prior to that, I had a right to defend myself’.

Linda looked speechless at Maddie’s bold retort and Tommy silently cheered in his mind. There were snickers from other people in the room as well, glad that this stranger had managed to put Linda in her place. Polly and Ada looked particularly pleased.

‘It’s alright Linda luv’, said Arthur, putting a hand on Linda’s shoulder. ‘We can look past that, it’s hardly the first time something like that has happened to me’.

Maddie turned back to the rest of the group in front of her, who all remained silent. No one really sure of what to ask.

‘Okay, so either you’re all stumped as to what to say or you’re all waiting for me to sprout three heads or something’, questioned Maddie, her eyebrow quirked inquisitively.

At this Tommy’s family exchanged shocked glances, Maddie was proving to be entertaining. Something that Tommy was depending on to sway them into not just liking her, but more importantly trusting her.

‘How about a drink Maddie?’, Tommy interjected. ‘Let’s give everyone a chance to think about what they want to say’.

Maddie turned to look up at Tommy, turning up her plump lips in a sultry smile, ‘Alright’, she agreed, meeting Tommy’s eyes as she had done a few times now. Was she trying to flirt with him? Tommy pondered this as he remembered their conversation in the train station, he had thought she was flirting with him then as well. 

Tommy poured Maddie a glass of whiskey from the decanter and handed it to her. Her fingertips brushed his as she grasped the glass, making his skin tingle with the contact. Why was this girl making him react this way? These feelings that were stirring inside him were making Tommy nervous. He hadn’t felt this way since Grace was alive. Tommy was careful however to not give away his thoughts and maintained his stern, stone-like expression.

Maddie eyed the glass of liquid dubiously, sniffing it and wrinkling her nose. 

‘Have you not drunk whiskey before?’, asked Michael, watching Maddie with some amusement. ‘Don’t you have it in the future?’.

Glad to have someone finally ask her a question that wasn’t hostile Maddie replied with a chuckle, ‘Oh we do, but its usually reserved alcoholics and old people’.

‘I suppose that makes us old then!’, laughed John. Tommy could feel the atmosphere in the room beginning to relax gradually. He could feel his own muscles becoming less tense as they all started to enjoy Maddie’s odd behaviour and way of speaking.

Maddie finally took a hesitant sip of the whiskey, her face screwed up in disgust and she stuck her tongue out coughing. Everyone, including Tommy laughed at her reaction to the fiery liquid.

‘You know what, I think I’m starting to like this girl Tom’, chuckled Arthur as he walked round the sofa and over to Maddie. ‘Here let’s get you something more to your liking eh?’. Maddie handed the whiskey back to Arthur, looking thankful she wouldn’t have to drink anymore of it.

‘What do people like to drink in a hundred years’ time then?’, asked Ada, eagerly awaiting Maddie’s answer.

‘Pretty much the same as what people drink now, I think. Although spirits are rarely drunk straight. Personally, I prefer beer’, replied Maddie. Tommy’s brother’s faces lit up in unison. You didn’t find women who drunk beer very often, well none who held any kind of status anyway.

Arthur sent Finn to go and get Maddie a supply of beer from the cellar. Whilst he was gone everyone had their turn asking Maddie various questions about the future. Even Lizzie wanted to ask whatever burning question she had. Tommy took the opportunity to breath a sigh of relief. His family were fast warming up to Maddie, she had a charismatic charm that made them laugh and smile with her, putting them at ease. He also couldn’t believe that they seemed to have accepted that she was from the future. He was sure that they would remain sceptical in that regard.

Tommy remained silent and observant as he watched them all chatter together. His eyes were drawn to Maddie once again. In the low light of the fireplace and the few lamps that were lit in the room he noticed that Maddie’s brown hair had a hint of auburn in it. Her cheeks dimpled when she smiled, and she had a smattering of golden freckles on her nose and cheeks. Her laugh was musical but also raw and dirty at the same time. Maddie was becoming increasingly more attractive in Tommy’s eyes and he could feel his heart begin beating somewhat faster than normal. Tommy was so focused on Maddie that he didn’t realise that Ada had gotten up and crossed the room to stand beside him as everyone else continued to fire questions at Maddie.

‘Put your eyes back in your head brother’, she jested, nudging him sharply in the arm. Tommy gave Ada a disgruntled look. He hated how Ada was always so sharp when it came to his behaviour and what he was thinking. She just raised her eyebrows at him in response, it was a warning he knew, a warning to not get too consumed by Maddie. But Tommy feared that it was already too late for that.

When Finn returned with the beer and handed her a full pint, Maddie took a hearty and more confident swig of the amber liquid. Her eyes closed and a satisfied expression settled on her features. ‘Now that’s some good shit’, she said grinning from ear to ear.

‘You speak so weirdly’, said Finn admiring Maddie as she took another swig of the beer.

‘Well a lot changes between now and my time’, said Maddie. ‘You’ve all seen how much fashion is going to change. Well the way we speak does too. Young people are constantly coming up with new words, even I don’t know what they’re saying half the time!’. Maddie laughed again followed by the rest of the room.

‘All this talk of the future is all well and good’, Polly spoke up now, making eye contact with Maddie, piercing her with her glare. ‘But I personally want to know more about you Maddie, what’s your story? More importantly I want to know about you as this slayer that you claim to be’.

The room fell silent instantly. Maddie faltered slightly at the forwardness of Polly’s question; she looked down at her glass and Tommy could see she was trying to keep a neutral expression. Trust Pol to kill the mood, thought Tommy. Just as Maddie seemed to be loosening up and getting used to his intimidating and dysfunctional family.

Maddie looked back up to meet Polly’s gaze and took a deep breath before replying. ‘That’s a good question. And if I’m being honest, I’m not entirely sure I can sum it up in a way that you’d understand or believe’. 

‘Oh sweetheart, please don’t underestimate me. I have knowledge of things that you would scarcely believe. So please share, I’m sure that I’ll be able to keep up’, Polly replied with a dangerous undertone to her voice. Tommy knew Polly would pull a power play like this to assert her dominance over Maddie. Yet, surprising Tommy and the room yet again, Maddie let out a small laugh and nodded, recognising Polly’s influence that she had amongst the family.

Maddie proceeded to tell her story as everyone in the room listened intently. She told them about where she grew up and went to school. How she had hopes of becoming a nurse before getting the calling to be the slayer. She retold the same things that she had told Tommy earlier that day. She also went on to tell them about the demon world and how they’d come to be on earth. How there were many different dimensions and demons that inhabited them as well. She told the harrowing story of how the first slayer had been created. Maddie gripped her knee tightly as she told this story, Tommy realised, her knuckles turning white. He knew that this was a particularly sensitive story for her to tell. Tommy noticed that all the women in the room became more attentive to this story of how a group of men had forced demonic power into a girl who didn’t want it. He could see the recognition and understanding in the women’s eyes, Lizzie was now regarding Maddie with more respect as she listened. Tommy knew he regrettably wouldn’t be able to fully understand how Maddie felt as they did.

When she finished this story Maddie quickly moved onto her specific experiences as the slayer, evidently relieved to have that story out of the way. Finally coming to what had happened to her earlier that day.

‘So I was patrolling as I usually do and I got into a fight with this vampire you all saw and the next thing I knew me and him were being whooshed through a portally thingy’, Maddie made grand sweeping gestures with her arms to punctuate her story. ‘And then crash, here I am. You all know what happens next. I have no idea as to how the portal opened or who opened it. Even after all the fucking magic and demonology books I’ve spent hours studying, fat lot of good that did!’. Maddie huffed and rolled her eyes, finally finishing her tale.

Everyone was speechless as they stared at Maddie agog. Tommy however put on his usual expression of indifference. But in his head his thoughts were racing. He had just been told about a whole other world that he had previously been oblivious to. If fact he would have considered anyone who believed anything like that a lunatic before today. But now he found it was widening his mind and opening new opportunities. He did have some belief in fortune telling and witchcraft from his gypsy heritage, but he would have never imagined that the reality was something to this scale.

Maddie began to fidget awkwardly in her chair as the silence lingered. ‘Can someone please say something before I die from the silence?’, she pleaded. Tommy let the corner of his mouth quirk up in a smile. He admired how she handled any awkward situation with sarcasm and humour. It was in stark contrast to how he or anyone he knew dealt when faced with similar situations.

‘Sorry. That was just a lot for us to take in’, replied Michael speaking on behalf of the room.

‘But I think I’m right in saying that we all admire your confidence to tell all that to a group of strangers’, smiled Ada. Maddie smiled back at her and thanked her, looking relieved that her story had been well received.

‘So, you’ve got super strength, how strong are you then?’, Finn spoke up, smiling shyly at Maddie. Tommy suspected that Finn was attracted to her as he had that boyish blush on his cheeks that teenagers got around attractive women. John also noticed this because he grabbed Finn in a headlock with a brotherly display of playfighting, rubbing his fist on the top of Finn’s head.

‘Finn wants to see some impressive feats of strength from Mads does he eh?’, teased John, laughing loudly. Maddie laughed as well, watching Tommy’s brothers scuffle playfully. Finn eventually managed to push John away with a ‘Fucking gerroff’ John!’. He straightened up and smoothed down his hair as he attempted to hide his blush from Maddie. Finn’s blush confirmed Tommy’s suspicion and he felt himself react to it in the pit of his stomach. What was that feeling? Jealousy? No, he was imagining things, he thought, jealous of his baby brother? He quashed the thought as quickly as it occurred to him.

‘That’s alright Finn. It’s understandable that you’d be curious. I would’, Maddie smiled at Finn and winked. Tommy felt that pang of jealousy again. It was definitely jealousy he felt, he admitted to himself silently. He felt angry at himself for feeling something as childish as jealousy. He also had to admit that this also meant that he was undeniably growing more than just fond of Maddie, and this also scared him.

Maddie looked around the room searching before getting up and going over to the fireplace to retrieve the iron fire poker from its rack. She turned to face the group and holding the poker at either end proceeded to bend the poker in half and then back on itself making a loop in the middle, the muscles of her wrists flexing as she warped the metal like it were toffee in her hands.

Again, the room was left speechless. The Shelby’s were rarely left speechless and Maddie had managed to do it several times in the last hour. Maddie walked over to Finn and handed him the poker. He took it and tried to bend it back unsuccessfully, John and Arthur guffawing at his feeble attempt. Even Tommy felt himself smile in genuine amusement.

There was knock at the door and Frances entered signalling that dinner was ready for them in the dining room.

‘Right’, sighed Tommy putting out his most recent cigarette in the ashtray. ‘I think we should take that as a sign for us to let Maddie alone a while’. Tommy gave a look to signal everyone to leave the room.

As everyone filed out toward the dining room Tommy fell into stride beside Maddie. ‘You alright?’, he asked, quietly enough so only Maddie could hear. ‘I know my family can be…intense at times’.

Maddie nodded and smiled, turning to look up at him. ‘It’s fine Tommy, I would be the same I were in their position’. Tommy admired Maddie’s astuteness, if there was one thing Tommy respected in women it was intelligence.

As they walked down the corridor and past a set of windows, they noticed that it had started snowing outside and Tommy could feel the frosty chill radiating from the glass.

‘Well, at least now I know you weren’t lying about the snow to get me to come back here with you’, chuckled Maddie. Tommy found himself smiling again, he looked down to Maddie to see her looking up at him, biting her lip to stifle more laughter. Tommy’s gaze flashed to her lips which Maddie didn’t fail to notice; she responded by giving him a suggestive smile. She was certainly flirting with him, Tommy realised.

***

During dinner Tommy and the Shelby’s continued to question Maddie incessantly as she ate. Maddie proved to have an exceptional appetite, finishing her plate in a matter of minutes. She explained that slaying often made her insatiably hungry. John who was sat next to Maddie, was particularly impressed by this.

‘I do like to see a woman with a good appetite!’, he bellowed as he took Maddie’s shoulders in his hands and shook her playfully. 

‘For fucks sake John! Leave the poor girl alone!’, called Esme from across the table. John just continued to giggle like a schoolboy, Maddie giggling with him, the pair of them like naughty children who were caught misbehaving. Tommy was glad to see Maddie was building a report with his family. That would prove important if he wanted them to trust her.

Tommy noticed over the course of dinner that Maddie was also drinking an impressive amount of alcohol. He’d been counting the number of pints she’d had, and when she reached her sixth, she proceeded to down it in one go to impress her onlookers who cheered and clapped rapturously. Tommy shared a concerned look with Ada and Polly, the last thing he wanted was for his brothers to get too excited and cause Maddie to get blind drunk on her first night in their company. However, Maddie didn’t show any signs of intoxication as far as Tommy could tell, apart from giggling more. 

Maddie also started to pull at her dress uncomfortably, reaching under the collar and saying to Ada who was sat on her other side, ‘How do you wear this shit all day, it’s so uncomfortable!’, she giggled as she drew her skirt up slightly to twist and adjust her stockings, not caring how unladylike she looked which only entertained the Shelby’s more.

As the night drew on, Tommy’s family settled into a joyous atmosphere of chatter, laughter and no short number of requests of Maddie to impress them with her physical abilities. Tommy was happy to sit back with his whiskey and watch through a cloud of cigarette smoke as everyone had their turn with the most bizarre and incredible woman they had ever met. 

Arthur was first and asked Maddie to show off something that demonstrated her strength and agility. Maddie asked for a pin which Polly graciously provided; and then went on to pin the front and back of her dress together between her legs. She went over to the end of the table and lifted herself up gracefully into handstand on the table edge, everyone clapping in applause, but Maddie continued her show. She pivoted on the spot once and started walking up the table on her hands stopping in the middle to part her legs in an elegant split and everyone applauded and cheered. Despite the pin she had put in place, the hem of Maddie’s skirt still rose high enough up her legs to show the top of her stockings. Tommy felt his cock twitch in his trousers, forcing him to adjust his position in his chair in and effort to distract himself. Maddie completed one lap of the table and dismounted by twirling off the end earning another rowdy round of applause.

Finn spoke up next and challenged Maddie to an arm wrestle. This earned a lot of laughs from everyone, but Maddie just smiled and nodded her assent to the challenge. Maddie discarded her cardigan and positioned herself on one side of the table. Finn did the same and adopted a rather poor attempt at a tough masculine posture Tommy thought, bringing his shoulders forward and flexing the muscles of his arm. All the while Maddie just smiled smugly. John announced the start of the wrestle and Finn immediately put all his effort into trying to get Maddie’s hand to move but she just held it upright without any effort it seemed, her expression nonplussed and the muscles in her forearm not even twitching. She even started taunting him as he gave up on rules and moved himself to the end of the table, leaning back and using all his weight to try and move Maddie’s arm.

‘Sorry about this Finn’, she apologised, putting on a faux act of humility. Finn gave her a look of confusion before Maddie slammed her hand down on the table. The force sent poor Finn flying onto the table face first triggering another round of raucous laughter from the room. Even Lizzie and Linda laughed, both of whom had being trying hard to look unimpressed by Maddie’s displays of prowess.

John wanted to know how good Maddie’s shooting skills were and proceeded to lead her outside by her arm, followed by Tommy and the others, into the snow which was now settling in a thick blanket on the ground. He and Arthur lined up six bottles on the stone wall of the driveway and handed Maddie a pistol. Without a moment’s hesitation Maddie raised the gun and shot all six bottles one after the other from left to right, which all shattered in a shower of glass that disappeared into the snow. This made Tommy raise his eyebrows, betraying his amazement at the growing list of Maddie’s talents, especially since he had just counted Maddie’s tenth pint and she had still showed no sign of being drunk.

When they returned inside and settled in the drawing room once again, Tommy and the other men stood talking together on one side of the room whilst Maddie and the women sat near the fire.

‘This woman is something else Tom’, exclaimed John is disbelief. Tommy knew John would be the easiest to sway, he had always had a weakness for pretty girls, even more so when they had confidence like Maddie.

‘How exactly are you planning on bringing her into the company?’, questioned Michael. Tommy had noticed that Michael had become considerably more bold and brash recently and Tommy wasn’t sure that he appreciated it.

‘I’m not sure yet. I wanted to discuss business tonight but it seems we have gotten carried away with our new guest’, replied Tommy as he looked over Michael’s shoulder to catch Ada pulling Maddie away from the other women, interlocking her arm with Maddie’s. Tommy felt a small semblance of panic stir inside him. He expected Ada to have a quiet word with Maddie and he worried that she would be warning Maddie about him along with the rest of them. That it would be best for her to leave tomorrow and never come back to this family.

Tommy pretended to listen to his brothers and cousin as they speculated how Maddie could be utilised as he watched the interaction between Ada and Maddie, unable to gauge what they were saying from their expressions. Polly got up and joined Ada with Maddie and Tommy began to panic more. He debated going over and interjecting before his aunt could do too much damage but decided against it as Maddie turned towards him enough that he could see that she was smiling with Polly and Ada. Tommy let himself relax, he hadn’t realised that his whole body had tensed up at the thought that Maddie could have disappeared the next day without a word because of what they’d said to her.

Polly and Ada went to sit back down, leaving Maddie by the window alone. She looked up and caught Tommy staring at her and they locked gazes for a moment. She smiled the same suggestive smile she had given him earlier before returning to her seat as well.

Esme got up and went to the megaphone, winding it up so it filled the room with the up tempo beat of jazz music causing everyone to turn their attention towards her.

‘Come on I want to dance!’, Esme called, a drunken slur evident in her voice. ‘Come on Mads, surely you’re not an expert dancer as well?’. Esme began to dance a jig in the middle of the room, as her audience began to clap her on laughing.

Maddie gave a look of disdain and shook her head. ‘This isn’t really the sort of music I’m used to dancing to’, she complained, resisting as Esme pulled her arm in an attempt to get her to stand up.

‘I’ll show ya then!’, persisted Esme. Maddie sighed and with a nervous smile nodded her head in defeat.

‘Okay okay!’, Maddie giggled. She brought her glass to her lips again and downed the remainder of her drink. Pint number twelve, Tommy counted. Evidently having the constitution of five fully grown men was another advantage of being a slayer.

Maddie got up and started to copy Esme as she danced around, quickly picking up the steps of Esme’s improvised choreography. They continued like this as some of the others joined in the frivolity. They took turns to hook arms with Maddie and danced around in circles. Maddie soon discarded her shoes and wrestled her stockings off, not caring about everyone watching her, and tossed them aside before she continued to jump and spin around jubilantly. 

Tommy watched amused as Maddie’s hair fanned outwards, mirroring her skirt as she span round. He found he liked the way her hair bounced with life with her movements. Tommy felt himself being tempted to join in with the dancing, but he knew that this would cause his family to collapse in shock. Tommy did dance but not to happy music like this.

Eventually everyone began to tire and sit down exhausted, including Maddie, finally showing signs of tiring, all be it small. However, she continued to drink her beer without slowing, Tommy realised she had started her sixteenth pint and began to worry that she would make herself sick.

For the first time that evening, Tommy went over to Maddie and sat next to her on the sofa prompting her to look up at him inquisitively.

‘Oh, hello Tommy!’, she laughed as she realised who had sat next to her. ‘Fed up of standing over there on your own and not having any fun?’. She had a teasing glint in her eye and Tommy allowed himself to let out a huffed laugh and simply hummed his agreement.

‘You however have been having an excellent evening entertaining my family and drinking a rather large volume of my beer’, he stated as he looked at the already half empty pint glass in her hand. She followed his gaze to inspect her drink.

‘Oh, shit really? Sorry about that. How many have I had?’, she enquired smiling.

‘Sixteen’, Tommy replied. ‘Including that one’.

Maddie’s eyebrows flew up in shock. ‘Shit. I guess your beer must not be as strong as the stuff I have back home! I’m usually ready to pass out by now but I feel relatively alright’, she mused. However, this was enough to get Maddie to abandon the rest of her pint on the table. ‘Nice to know that you have been keeping a close eye on me though’, she teased, smiling smugly at Tommy.

Tommy did his best to ignore her smugness, ‘Even so, your constitution is impressive’, he said. 

‘Yep. Yet another perk of being a slayer, along with my accelerated healing. Not so much the terrifying nightmares though, those I could do without’, complained Maddie. Nightmares? Tommy wondered what sort of nightmares Maddie had, were they were like his own?

‘What do you have nightmares about?’, Tommy asked with his brow furrowed. Maddie cast her gaze around the room to make sure no-one was listening to their conversation before replying.

‘Slayers. Mostly.’, she mumbled. ‘Their fights and their deaths. Sometimes though I have dreams about stuff that’s going to happen. Like prophecies. Bloody pain in the arse!’, Maddie huffed.

Tommy nodded as he considered this information. Yet another thing he had in common with Maddie. He too had paralysing nightmares most nights meaning he often slept poorly which contributed to his ongoing bad mood and irritability. He toyed with the idea of sharing this with Maddie, but he decided against it. His own family didn’t even know about the extent of his affliction and he didn’t think it appropriate to tell Maddie, even though she was already starting to feel like a new member of his family.

They chatted for a while, sat next to each other on the sofa. Maddie asked questions about Tommy and the Shelby Company which he answered whilst being careful not to mention the more illegal business the company was involved with. Tommy noticed though that none of the information he told her seemed new to Maddie which lead to him to question her about it. Maddie looked momentarily nervous and Tommy raised an eyebrow to question her further. She finally admitted that the Shelby Company still existed in the future and that most people in Birmingham, even the whole of the country knew about the Shelby’s and their success. This took Tommy aback considerably and his face betrayed a look of shock. It was hard to comprehend but he found that he was glad to hear that his legacy would survive through to the 21st century. But it also meant that Maddie had known a lot about him this whole time while he had known nothing about her, reminding him of how dangerous she was and how she could be a formidable threat to him if she decided she wasn’t his ally.

Maddie evidently sensed what Tommy was thinking and quickly put him at ease, ‘Don’t worry Tommy. I’m not planning to double cross you. I may be a slayer, but I still know better than to betray the trust of Tommy Shelby and the Peaky Blinders’. Maddie winked at him again and Tommy decided that he believed her. She had no reason to lie at this point and Tommy certainly agreed that she wasn’t stupid enough to use her knowledge from the future against him.

Maddie held eye contact with him comfortably for a moment. Tommy still couldn’t quite believe she could look him in the eye so easily when so many hardened and dangerous men cowered in the shadow of his icy glare. Then again from what he had learned about Maddie that night he also wasn’t surprised at all.

Tommy looked over at the clock and saw that it was nearly midnight, signalling that the evening needed to end.

‘I think it’s time we all retire for the night’, Tommy addressed the room now standing up to punctuate his statement. There were nods of assent around the room as everyone else followed suit, standing up and making their way towards the door.

As Maddie went to stand, she teetered suddenly and would have fallen over if Tommy hadn’t caught her shoulders to hold her up. She bought her hand to her head and scrunched her face up in pain.

‘Ah…’, Maddie hissed. ‘I think those sixteen pints may be catching up to me’, she muttered through clenched teeth.

John and Arthur chuckled, chuffed to see that Maddie was finally showing some sign of weakness. Ada sharply slapped the back of John’s head and he shot her an angry look which she ignored.

‘Come on, I’ll walk you back to your room’, said Tommy softly and he started to lead Maddie forward to the door. He pointedly ignored the disapproving looks that Polly and Ada were shooting at him, knowing what those looks insinuated. He was disappointed that they thought so little of him, Tommy admitted he had many faults but taking advantage of drunk women wasn’t one of them. 

As everyone filed out into the foyer, they wished each other, including Maddie goodnight.

‘Goodnight’, Maddie called out to the group as Tommy continued to lead her toward the stairs, keeping her upright as her feet tripped and stumbled awkwardly beneath her. There was a definite slur in her voice now and she continued to hold her head in her hand.

John took the opportunity to pipe up again, ‘Don’t worry Mads, our Tommy will take good care of you’, he laughed loudly. Tommy turned to shoot John a furious glare. It had the desired affect as John immediately stopped laughing and looked away quickly. Esme then proceeded to descend on her husband to berate him angrily.

Luckily Maddie hadn’t seemed to notice John’s heckle and Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t want there to be any reason for Maddie not to trust him. As they ascended the stairs Tommy had to support most of Maddie’s weight to prevent her from falling backwards; he wrapped his arm around her waist so he could support her more easily. Maddie leaned into him automatically and Tommy felt his heart race in earnest now as he enjoyed the feeling of her warm body against him. He could also smell her hair, it smelt not like any scent that he had encountered before.

He continued to hold Maddie like this until they reached her bedroom door. Everyone else had peeled off along the upstairs corridor to their own rooms and eventually the corridor fell silent, just the two of them stood by her door.

Tommy opened Maddie’s door for her as she leaned against the doorframe to keep her balance. Tommy feared she was going to vomit as she was starting to look a little green.

‘Hey, Maddie. You going to be alright?’, he asked in a concerned whisper.

Maddie peered up at him and smiled ruefully, ‘Yeah, don’t worry about me’, she whispered back. ‘I’ll be right as rain after a few hours’ sleep’.

Tommy nodded and debated as to whether he should walk her over to her bed and make sure she got into it safely. Maddie made the decision for him, however.

‘Well, goodnight Tommy. Thanks for helping me back’, she smiled again and took his hand in hers. Tommy’s heart skipped at the intimate contact. She squeezed his hand firmly before letting go and tentatively stepped through the doorway.

‘Night’ said Tommy as she quietly shut the door on him.

Tommy lingered in front of her door as he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to clear the fog from his mind as he heard her footsteps retreat into the room. He took several deep breaths to bring himself back to his senses. He felt that he missed the feeling of Maddie’s body next to his, the empty space next to him felt like a hollow cold chasm without her there.

When Tommy finally made it to his own bed, he found that sleep eluded him as it usually did but for a whole different reason than usual, his mind was completely consumed with by the extraordinary woman asleep in the room down the hall.


	5. A New Day

Maddie awoke bleary eyed the next morning, squinting as the morning sun radiated into the room to signal her to get the hell up. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and turned to look at the clock on the side table. Nearly half past seven. Maddie whined quietly to herself as she rolled over under the warm covers of the four-poster bed that she’d spent the night in. She felt the faint remnants of a hangover headache tapping at the back of her skull and she felt grateful for the ability of her body to shake off hangovers like raindrops from an umbrella. In another hour the headache would be completely non-existent.

As Maddie became more aware and conscious, the last tendrils of sleep gave way to the memories of the previous night which came rushing back and she sat bolt upright and moaned in despair. The reality of her situation came flooding back to her, as did the embarrassment of getting almost paralytically drunk in front of the Shelby’s the previous night.

‘Fuck Maddie, you absolute twat,’ she muttered to herself, putting her head in her hands and shaking her head.

Maddie took her time recounting the events of the night and reassured herself that it wasn’t all bad. She had thoroughly enjoyed herself she realised, relishing the attention that the Shelby family had given her as she showed off her weird and wonderful talents. Maddie had gotten along well with everyone, even Lizzie, and they seemed to accept her a lot quicker than she initially expected. She remembered that she had talked an awful lot about her world and debated whether that was a particularly wise decision. Nevertheless, what was done was done and she had no choice now but to trust the Shelby’s and hope that they trusted her. Then Maddie remembered the ridiculous amount of beer she had drunk and grimaced at the memory. How many had Tommy said she’d had? Sixteen?

Oh fucking hell! Tommy must think I’m a right drunken fool, Maddie cursed herself for letting herself get too comfortable last night. She remembered how Tommy had to help her get to her bedroom and cringed at the thought that she, the slayer, the chosen one, had needed a man to help her get to bed without having to crawl up the stairs. Despite this thought however Maddie felt her heart skip a little of the admittedly blurry memory of Tommy holding her gently as he had stopped her from falling. They had exchanged a moment right outside her door and Maddie could scarcely believe that she had had the balls to hold his hand, all be it briefly.

She also couldn’t believe that she had been blatantly flirting with him at every available opportunity, she hadn’t even tried to be subtle about it either. It didn’t help that he had spent the entire evening staring at her, she had noticed his gaze on her several times, and it had made her skin feel hot with prickly heat the whole night. Not only that but he had looked remarkably stunning and sexy. He’d discarded his suit jacket and the sleeves of his shirt had been rolled up to his elbows. Even when he had a cigarette hanging from his mouth it had only succeeded in making him look more irresistible. Maddie visualised Tommy’s face again, his chiselled cheekbones and jaw and the encapsulating blue of his eyes. She felt a familiar throb between her thighs and sighed, rapidly pushing the feeling away.

She couldn’t afford to let herself develop feelings for Tommy. No matter how fun it was to flirt with him and wind him up. His history, or rather his future, Maddie knew didn’t involve her and her being there was only messing that up. But was there really any harm in some innocent flirting? No, no no, Maddie thought. She needed to start acting on her plan to get to London and out of this time before she really did do some serious damage. She realised that they hadn’t discussed her part of the deal at all last night, with everyone getting a bit carried away having too much fun. Which was surprising knowing how famously pragmatic Tommy was when it came to business.

‘I guess it’s time I got up and got on with it’, said Maddie to herself, getting motivated to tackle a new day.

As Maddie got out of bed, she noticed that she’d slept in her underwear rather than the nightdress which she then spotted on a stool at the foot of the bed. God she must have been much drunker than she realised. Maddie winced when she spotted herself in the mirror that was sat on the dresser; her hair was knotted and was sticking up in various directions. For once Maddie mentally thanked Frances who had left an assortment of items on Maddie’s dresser including a hairbrush and some ribbon. It was times like these that Maddie missed the simplest things from her time, including her favourite scrunchie.

Maddie made herself look somewhat presentable although she felt a little conscious of putting the previous night’s clothes back on, she didn’t want the Shelby’s thinking less of her, assuming of course that the drunken episode hadn’t already achieved that. However, without any alternatives Maddie had no choice but to pull the dress back on and hope that she didn’t look too scruffy, or in fact smell too bad. She gave herself a sniff and concluded that she would need a shower sooner rather than later. Do they even have showers yet? Maddie wondered. Then Maddie facepalmed as she remembered there was a bathroom attached to her room. 

She investigated her bathroom to discover that there wasn’t a shower, just one of those old metal bathtubs sat in front of the fireplace. Maddie didn’t know how people had managed without showers; they were her favourite part about coming home after a long night of slaying. Maddie settled for washing her face in the sink and thanked the gods that there was at least a toothbrush and toothpaste, even if the taste did make her wretch.

Finally admitting that her rudimental morning wash would have to do, Maddie made her way out into the upstairs corridor barefoot. She hadn’t been able to find her stockings or shoes and recalled that she had discarded them at some point during last night’s party. The corridor was abandoned and eerily bereft of any noise. Maddie wondered if she was the only one who was up but thought it highly unlikely. She wandered down to the staircase and took a moment to admire the foyer from the balcony. How did Tommy ever get used to living in a place like this?

‘Good morning miss.’

Maddie nearly jumped half a foot in the air before she raised her hands in front of her in a defensive posture instinctively. She was met with the disapproving face of Frances who regarded Maddie like she were a rat who’d ran over her shoes. Not many people could sneak up on Maddie without her knowing, maids really did move like shadows in the night.

‘Oh shit sorry! You startled me’, Maddie apologised, regaining a more relaxed posture.

Frances quirked an eyebrow at Maddie before flitting her gaze down to Maddie’s bare feet, a silent judgemental question in her eyes.

‘Er… I must have taken my stockings and shoes off last night and misplaced them.’ Maddie attempted to smile humorously at Frances, who ignored her and continued to glare at her suspiciously.

‘Jeez, right barrel of laughs you are,’ huffed Maddie. ‘Do you treat all the guests in this house like this?’. Maddie was thoroughly fed up of Frances looking at her like a dirt under her shoe. If she could have gotten away with it, Maddie would have landed a sharp punch to Frances’ nose just for her own satisfaction.

‘Mr Shelby and most of his family have already left for the day,’ said Frances, ignoring Maddie’s snide question.

Maddie felt her heart sink a little, despite what she had told herself that morning, she had been looking forward to seeing Tommy and the rest of the Shelby’s again.

‘However, Mrs Thorne is currently taking breakfast in the kitchen and asked me to tell you to join her once you decided to arise,’ Frances continued, yet another sarcastic remark curling from her thin lips.

Mrs Thorne? It took Maddie a couple of seconds to realise that Frances was referring to Ada, remembering that Ada preferred her married name.

‘If you’d follow me please,’ ordered Frances, not waiting for a response from Maddie.

Maddie followed Frances to the kitchen where she was greeted by Ada. Ada was sat eating slice of toast as she perused a newspaper, a piping hot mug of tea steaming in front of her.

‘Good morning Maddie,’ she smiled as Maddie entered and sat herself down opposite Ada.

‘Morning,’ replied Maddie cheerily. Maddie could feel her stomach growling and bubbling as she detected the delicious smell of freshly cooked bacon, sausages and eggs.

‘I had the cooks prepare a bit of everything for you. I wasn’t sure what you’d want.’ Maddie praised Ada’s forward thinking. 

‘I’ll have two of everything please,’ said Maddie to the maid who had just that moment entered to serve Maddie her own pot of tea.

Ada chuckled heartily. Maddie loved the sound; it had a childlike quality to it and gave Maddie a comfortable sense of relatability with Ada which none of the other Shelby’s possessed.

‘Nice to see that you’re looking unaffected by last night’s indulgences’, said Ada, giving Maddie a knowing smile. ‘When it comes to drinking, my brothers can often get rather carried away.’

‘Don’t worry about me Ada’, laughed Maddie. ‘Believe it or not I’ve drunk at lot more than that and come out the other side alright’. Ada nodded, eyebrows raised in calm surprise at this news as Maddie took her first sip of tea, sighing blissfully as the hot liquid passed her lips.

Maddie was glad that it was Ada who had greeted her that morning. She found Ada to be easy to talk to the previous night. She had a warm and inviting presence about her that had made Maddie feel like that if she had known Ada in her time, she was certain that they would have been best friends, maybe even like sisters.

‘You really are an incredible woman Maddie’, said Ada. ‘Even if you are just a little peculiar’.

They laughed together for a minute, both acknowledging the ridiculousness of Maddie’s predicament. Maddie was reminded in that moment of her current priorities for rectifying that problem. She needed to know what the Shelby’s wanted in exchange for their help so she could get the ball rolling in terms of getting herself home. But she doubted that Tommy would leave an important discussion like that solely to Ada.

‘So er… where’s Tommy? I would have thought he’d be eager to discuss the terms of our contract, or whatever you want to call it’, probed Maddie cautiously, hoping that Ada would share anything she may know. Maddie also hoped that Ada hadn’t heard the hint of hopefulness in her voice.

From Ada’s smirk Maddie knew she’d failed in keeping her treacherous emotions from working their way into her voice.

‘Tommy left before the crack of dawn this morning,’ sighed Ada, rolling her eyes. ‘He’s asked me to spend the morning with you. I’m to take you into town and help you buy a new wardrobe. You need something else to wear other than my spare things’.

‘I didn’t realise these were yours,’ said Maddie, looking down at her dress. ‘Thank you’. Maddie was thankful that the clothes hadn’t been Grace’s after all, that would have been weird and creepy. Maddie was excited at the thought of a shopping trip in 1924, but where did that leave her in terms of her plan?

‘Did Tommy happen to say when he would be planning on getting to the topic of my getting home?’

‘Unfortunately, not. My brother in his infinite wisdom often thinks it prudent to not inform me about certain matters of business. Although I am sure the main reason for not addressing your problem this morning is to keep you around longer.’ Ada looked Maddie in the eye, throwing her a look of concern. ‘You do remember what I said to you last night don’t you?’

Maddie nodded. How could she forget? She replayed the scene in her mind’s eye, recalling the conversation she’d had with Ada and Polly the night before. 

‘You’re making quite an impression on us Maddie.’ Ada had said, smiling sweetly as she hooked her arm through Maddie’s. ‘Tommy especially it seems. He’s done nothing but stare at you all night. He’s still bloody doing it now.’

Maddie blushed tomato red and tried to hide her face from Ada, though she was sure Ada had certainly noticed. Maddie quickly shook her head in protest.

‘He probably just doesn’t trust me,’ Maddie lied poorly. Ada scoffed loudly, letting Maddie know she didn’t believe a word of it. Maddie faced Ada again and was met by a more concerned expression.

‘My brother has a way of using people Maddie. And if there is something…or someone, that he wants he usually gets it.’ Ada sighed. ‘If I were you, I’d take the first opportunity to get away from us and from Tommy before you get too involved with this life,’ she warned.

Maddie knew Ada was right but her stubbornness about not letting the Shelby’s intimidate her wouldn’t let her agree to Ada’s warning. Plus, she would be stupid to refuse the help from people with as much power and influence as they had.

‘I’m not afraid of Tommy. Once I’ve fulfilled my end of whatever bargain he has planned there’s nothing he can do to stop me getting home,’ Maddie countered with steady confidence.

‘I wouldn’t be so sure of that,’ came Polly’s voice as she joined the conversation. ‘But I know that you’re going to give Tommy a run for his money whilst you’re with us. And that I look forward to’. The three of them smiled and laughed together, the thought of taking Tommy down a peg or two fuelling their little reverie. It also gave Maddie some security knowing that these two influential members of the family were there to support her.

A full plate of breakfast was placed in front of Maddie, snapping her out of her memory. She immediately began to tuck in as she thought about Ada’s warning. Maddie wasn’t fully convinced that Tommy’s interest in her was for anything other than business. But she also couldn’t deny the sexual tension that had vibrated between them whenever they were close. She needed to pull herself together and gain a little self-restraint. The man was dangerous, but not in the way Maddie was familiar in dealing with. He wasn’t a super strong seven-foot demon, neither did he possess any power with the dark magics. He was formidable in a whole different and human way and Maddie wasn’t sure she was equipped to defend herself against it.

When Maddie cleared her plate, she felt the discomfort of hunger disappear in her belly replaced by a rush of energy spreading through her muscles. This was the longest she’d gone without doing anything physical, whether it was training or actually fighting evil and she could feel the tension coiling like a tightly wound spring in her body; begging to be released. Ada watched her curiously as Maddie stretched out her arms above her head in a rudimental attempt to stretch the tension out.

‘So, when are we leaving for our little shopping trip?’, asked Maddie excitedly. She must have sounded like a child who had just been told they were going to the toy shop.

‘I can have Frances call the car round now if you like,’ Ada chuckled as the stood up from the table. Ada looked down and noticed Maddie’s bare feet. ‘Although I think it would be best if you put some shoes on first’.

Ada had Frances fetch Maddie her shoes and stockings at the same time she asked for the car to be made ready. Ada graciously showed Maddie a helpful trick to hold her stockings up so they wouldn’t be uncomfortable, obviously remembering how Maddie had struggled with them the previous day.

Soon they were in the car and setting off down the drive. Maddie was chuffed that they had a driver, she felt like royalty sat in the back of the car with Ada. This car was just as exquisite as Tommy’s had been and Maddie was curious as to how much money the Shelby Company had spent on cars alone. The snow from last night had already mostly melted, leaving remnants of sad muddy slush on the ground that sloshed around the car’s tyres as they sped down the driveway.

During the journey Maddie and Ada engaged in energetic conversation. Ada was particularly curious about what the future held for women and for socialism. Maddie felt a bit out of her league when it came to talking about politics, it rarely entered her usual life as she spent most of her time in a world that wasn’t effected by the laws and goings on of the human race. But Maddie did her best to give Ada the information she had asked for, tactfully leaving out the bits she thought would be better left unknown. Ada became even more interested in the conversation when Maddie said that the country would eventually have a female prime minister, two in fact, even if they weren’t going to be as widely popular as one would have hoped.

‘Your world sounds fascinating. I would very much like to see it for myself’, stated Ada wistfully.

‘It may sound better than what you have now, but don’t get me wrong, there are a shit tonne of things that are still wrong after a hundred years’, said Maddie. 

‘Women are still held back by men, despite men proving themselves to be complete idiots most of the time.’

‘Why doesn’t that surprise me?’ exhaled Ada, looking at Maddie in mock despair. The two of them sat in fit of giggles again as they shook their heads at the insufferableness of men.

Their conversation carried on like this as they were driven into Birmingham. The driver eventually pulled up on a street that was lined with expensive looking shops selling a variety of garments that Maddie could see displayed elegantly in the windows. Ada instructed the driver to wait for them in the car as they got out.

Maddie decided she was in fact glad she’d been thrown back in time as she and Ada perused the many garments in the first shop. It was like playing an adult game of dress up! Ada picked out a rather large selection of outfits for Maddie to try on and with each one she modelled Ada added it to the ‘yes’ pile, quickly creating a large collection of stuff to purchase. The woman who owned the shop didn’t complain that they were using the only dressing room for well over an hour. Maddie realised that the woman must have known who Ada was and she therefore must have thought it best that she say nothing if she wanted to keep her eyes.

‘I wasn’t expecting for you to buy so much you know,’ said Maddie. ‘Can you afford all this?’.

To this Ada laughed the hardest Maddie had heard her laugh since meeting her, ‘Oh don’t worry about that Mads. Tommy insists on accumulating more money than we know what to do with’.

Maddie grinned widely at the use of her new nickname the Shelby’s seemed to have come up with. She liked how it made her feel welcome in their family despite only knowing them for a day.

When they finally decided on the outfits for Maddie, Ada payed for them with a large bill of paper which must have been a note. Maddie caught what was written on it: ‘One hundred pounds. Shitting hell, she thought. She knew that a hundred quid in this time was worth considerably more than it did back home. Just how much was Ada planning on spending? The owner looked particularly pleased with the business she had made and thanked Ada profusely.

After they left the shop, they deposited the several bags they had acquired into the car before moving onto the shoe shop. Again, Ada had Maddie try on virtually the whole shop before buying most of it. Maddie insisted on a pair of more practical and flatter boots that looked ideal for the outdoors to be added to the pile as well. All the other shoes Ada had chosen had a heel and didn’t look overly appropriate for slay-age, Maddie explained.

Maddie also realised that all the clothes they had just bought consisted of long skirts and dresses, no trousers. Also, not ideal. Ada said they would nip into another shop that sold attire usually for horse riding that would be more than suitable for her fighting needs. Happy with how well the shopping spree was going, Maddie and Ada laughed and chatted together like they were lifelong friends as they continued into various other shops that sold hats, jewellery, underwear and hosiery and a number of other accessories to complete Maddie’s new wardrobe. In the jewellers Maddie spotted a silver necklace with an ornate crucifix and pointed it out to Ada, explaining that it would be another useful item to add to her slayer repertoire. Maddie put it on as soon as they left the shop, feeling a bit more steadfast with the cold metal resting against the skin of her chest.

By the time they had eventually finished and got back in the car they had accumulated the amount of stuff it would take a normal person several years to collect. There was so much of it that some of it had to sit on the back seat between Ada and Maddie as the boot was so full. The wardrobe Ada had created for Maddie had clothes suitable for all seasons it seemed, and Maddie wondered just how long Ada suspected Maddie would be stuck in 1925. 

‘Are you expecting me to be here until summer or something?’, Maddie asked chuckling in shock at the amount of money they must have spent. 

‘I thought it would be best we covered all the bases. I wouldn’t put it past Tommy to try and keep you here for as long as possible’, Ada replied, a hint of an apology on her lips.

Maddie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She couldn’t afford to be stuck here too long, even if she was having a great time so far. But she had a feeling Ada was right and Maddie accepted that she was probably going to be stuck here for longer than what she wanted to be. If that was the case, she thought, then she was going to make sure she enjoyed herself and learnt as much as possible during her time here.

The drive back to Arrow House was spent in comfortable silence, the two of them exhausted from their trip, both happy to watch the world go by out the window. They drove through a small village as they neared Arrow House, Maddie estimated it must have been about a twenty-minute walk from the mansion. They passed a church on the outskirts of the village which had a copiously sized graveyard that looked almost too large for the size of the village.

Yes! Maddie thought. She had been afraid that there would be few opportunities out here in the middle of nowhere to put her slaying to good use. Hopefully there would be at least one vamp she could beat up to expel some of the energy that was building up inside her. Ideas of sneaking out in the middle of the night were quickly being formed in Maddie’s brain. She was confident she would be able sneak out that night and return without anyone noticing.

Upon return to Arrow House, Frances and several of the staff emptied the car and took all the spoils up to Maddie’s room. Ada walked round the car to Maddie as she watched them all efficiently lug her new clothes into the house.

‘I’m afraid I have to get straight off. I’m needed back at the office before I head back to London.’

Maddie whipped round to face Ada, ‘Couldn’t you just take me with you? If I need to get to London surely it would make sense that I come with you?’

Ada shook her head, ‘Sorry, I thought the same thing but… Tommy’s orders I’m afraid. I think he likely suspected you would try to get to London without honouring your arrangement.’

Maddie bristled, her heckles rising at Ada’s statement. Despite the numerous complaints Ada had shared about her brother he was still able to manipulate her without even being there. Maddie felt she resented him for it. Surprisingly it was the only negative feeling she had had towards Tommy since she met him.

Ada gave Maddie’s arm a friendly squeeze. ‘Feel free to do what you want for the rest of the day. You can go wherever you want around the house and the grounds. I’m sure you can keep yourself occupied until Tommy gets home’, said Ada, loudly enough so that Frances who was stood by the front door could hear. And with that she climbed back into the now empty car and was driven away back down the driveway.

Well now what? Thought Maddie. As if on cue Maddie felt her stomach rumble again, it must have been almost mid-afternoon by now and she hadn’t had any lunch.  
‘Any chance of some lunch?’ Maddie asked Frances as she walked over to her.

Back in the kitchen, Frances prepared a sandwich of ham and cheese which Maddie wolfed down in seconds. Frances turned her nose up at Maddie as she ate, which irritated Maddie enough to inspire her to annoy the old battle-axe even more.

‘Thanks for that, Frances. I think I’ll go get changed and explore a bit. And I think I’d like a nice hot bath to be ready for me in a couple of hours,’ Maddie ordered, channelling a Tommy - like air of authority.

Frances looked as though Maddie had just slapped her in the face and it took a considerable amount of willpower for Maddie to keep a straight face. Evidently deciding that denying Maddie’s request would incur Tommy’s wrath, Frances nodded stiffly and marched out the kitchen quickly, her skirt billowing behind her. This left Maddie alone to snicker satisfactorily to herself before she left the kitchen herself.

Maddie returned to her room and rifled through all her purchases until she found one of the pairs of jodhpurs she’d bought in the equestrian shop and paired it with a thick winter shirt, the practical boots and long overcoat. She admired herself in the mirror and how much she looked like a 1920’s lady, even in the trousers.  
Maddie practically bounded down the stairs as she headed toward the door. She had been itching to get outside to stretch her legs and explore the grounds of the huge house, a childlike sense of adventure overtaking her. 

As she walked across the foyer Maddie heard a child giggling and turned to look down the corridor to her left to see a small toddler being cooed and played with by one of the maids in room at the end. The little boy bared an uncanny resemblance to Tommy; Maddie suspected that this child must have been Charlie, Tommy and Grace’s son. Maddie wondered how the hell she had forgotten about Tommy’s son and felt a sense of mourning for them both for losing the most important woman in their lives.

Maddie watched the maid pick up Charlie and walk down the corridor towards where she was stood watching. Before Maddie could slink away unnoticed the maid spotted Maddie and called out to her.

‘Good afternoon miss! I apologise, I didn’t see you there. Are you needing something?’

‘Oh no I’m fine, I was just about to head outside,’ Maddie smiled nervously, glancing to Charlie who was perched on the maid’s hip. Charlie looked at Maddie, trying to decipher who this odd stranger was before smiling and reaching out a chubby hand towards her.

Maddie had very little experience with children and wasn’t sure if she particularly liked them, they had little place in her dark and violent world. She recoiled slightly, grimacing as Charlie tried to reach out to Maddie more, chuckling sweetly.

‘Looks like little Charlie likes you miss!’ The maid laughed in surprise. Maddie returned the laugh nervously before holding out her hand to Charlie. He grasped one of her fingers with his pudgy hand and Maddie was surprised how strong his grip was.

‘Hello there Charlie,’ Maddie cooed awkwardly, thinking how ridiculous it was that the slayer could face the stuff of nightmares and the occasional apocalypse on a regular basis without feeling as out of her depth as she did now.

‘Would you like to hold him miss?’ asked the maid, chuckling. Maddie quickly stepped back, holding her hands up in protest and the maid gave her a confused look.

‘No, no that’s ok.’

Maddie caught Charlie’s little face beginning to scrunch in a frown as she turned away hurriedly from them and towards the front door. She hoped that Charlie wouldn’t start crying, she imagined that making his son cry wouldn’t go down well with Tommy. Man, that was a weird, Maddie thought, praying she wouldn’t have to interact with Tommy’s infant son too often during her stay. 

Maddie ventured back outside into the brisk chilly air. All the snow had melted and had left the lawn like a swap under Maddie’s feet. She admired the superb craftmanship of her boots as they didn’t let even a drop of moisture in as her feet were submerged in mud.

Maddie did a few laps of the grounds, exploring all the nooks and cranny’s she came across. She decided to leave the exploration of the woods that lined the property for another day. She didn’t want to exhaust all her sources of entertainment in one go. She let the walk clear her mind and used it to regain her focus. She had been swept up in this time travelling adventure completely and she needed to regain some mental control before the current of it pulled her under completely. One worrying revelation occurred to Maddie; she had no weapons. Her extensive armoury from home was obviously inaccessible and she was left with nothing but her own two fists. Maddie decided then that her first step in regaining some of her slayer control was to make herself a stake.

She recalled the stables she had passed during her walk and assumed there would be some tools there that she could use to fashion a stake.  
As Maddie entered the large stables, she was not at all surprised to be greeted by several magnificent horses. Maddie knew absolutely nothing about horses but even she could tell that these were particularly fine specimens.

‘Can I help you miss?’ came a voice from the corner of the stable. A lanky boy who Maddie estimated to be about fifteen walked out from behind the door of one of the pens.

‘Oh hi. I was looking for some supplies and thought there might be some here,’ Maddie smiled. ‘I’m a guest of Tommy’s by the way’, she quickly added, realising that the boy might not know who she was.

‘Oh, I know that miss,’ replied the boy. Of course he did, thought Maddie. She imagined then that the news about Tommy’s peculiar guest had travelled round all the house’s staff within minutes of her arrival. ‘What exactly are you looking for?’

‘Well all I really need is a smallish log of wood and good sharp knife,’ replied Maddie with a smile.

The boy looked at her a moment confused before eventually saying, ‘Well, there’s a sharp knife on that table there and the shed next door is where we keep the firewood. May I ask what they’re for?’

‘I like to whittle wood as a hobby.’

Maddie thought it wise not to share with everyone that she was the slayer. The Shelby’s may believe her, but she didn’t want to try her luck with everyone she met, so telling a semi-lie seemed like a better idea.

Maddie went and found the perfect sized piece of wood in the shed the boy had directed her too and soon returned to the stable to retrieve the knife. She spotted a rather comfy looking bale of hay against the wall and asked the boy if she could sit there whilst she worked.

‘Of course, miss’, he smiled.

‘Please call me Maddie!’, she said cheerfully. ‘What’s your name?’

‘Eric miss. I’m one of Mr Shelby’s stable hands.’ Eric felt like an odd name for such a young boy, Maddie thought, but she realised that in her time Eric would be very old or more likely dead.

‘It must be nice working with horses all day! You barely see them where I come from,’ Maddie babbled as she began to expertly run the knife down the wood.  
‘It’s a good job and I enjoy it, especially when Mr Shelby keeps such fine steeds.’ Eric mused as he brushed the mane of the largest horse that had a mesmerising dark brown coat that shimmered when the light caught it.

Maddie sat there in the stable for what felt like hours, Eric had long since wandered out of the stable saying he was done for the day, waving his goodbye to Maddie as he left. When she finally finished her brand-new stake, she rolled it from one hand to the other, feeling the weight and the texture of the wood. Satisfied that the stake was good enough Maddie spun it around in her hand, admiring her craftsmanship and tucked the stake into the inside pocket of her coat as she stood up to leave.

Maddie realised she needed to return to the house soon. Frances was probably getting her that bath ready by now and the temperature outside had dropped markedly as the sky had grown darker. Maddie decided to take a moment to stroke one of the horses before she left. It had a grey coat that looked silver in the dim light of the lanterns that were lit in the stable and she decided that it was her favourite. Maddie admired and cooed the horse as she stroked its soft hair and mane.

Maddie heard the loud tap of expensive shoes on the brick courtyard outside and knew immediately who they belonged to. She couldn’t help but smile in anticipation to see his face again, she also smiled at the fact her acute sense of hearing had returned after letting multiple people sneak up on her over the last twenty-four hours. Maddie kept her attention on the horse as Tommy strode into the stables.

‘Frances said I’d find you here,’ said Tommy in his low, gravelly voice. It was the sexiest voice she’d ever heard, just the sound of it made Maddie’s heart thud against her ribs in betrayal. ‘I think she’s been keeping an eye on you through the windows.’

‘Why do I get the distinct feeling that woman doesn’t like me?’, chuckled Maddie. She turned to face Tommy as he came to stand beside her. Her breath hitched in her chest as she saw him. He stood with his hands in his pockets, the early evening shadows danced off his face, exaggerating his prominent cheekbones and jaw. Maddie wanted to reach up and run her fingers along the bold lines but thought that would be an unwelcome invasion of his personal space.

‘Has she been causing you trouble?’, Tommy enquired with a touch of concern.

‘Ah nothing that’s bothered me too much,’ Maddie waved her hand to him dismissively. She wasn’t too keen on Tommy’s head housekeeper but that didn’t mean she wanted Tommy to punish her for being rude. Tommy nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with Maddie’s reply.

‘Your new clothes suit you,’ Tommy complimented, a hint of a smile pulling one corner of his lips. Maddie admitted she adored this smile, it never failed to draw her own lips up into matching his. ‘Nice to see that your shopping trip with Ada went well.’

‘Thanks, I had a great time!’ Maddie enthused continuing to stoke the horse. ‘I know it must have cost a lot to buy all that.’

Tommy shrugged off her statement, not saying anything further on the subject. Maddie felt him watching her as she patted the horse and ran her hand along the hard muscles of the creature’s neck.

‘Do you know how to ride?’ asked Tommy after watching her rub the horse’s nose affectionately.

‘Ha no. Not many people ride horses in my time. It’s more expensive to have a horse than to have a car,’ Maddie laughed as the thought of her riding a horse crossed her mind. She had always wanted to learn to ride but living in a big city and focussing on her slaying meant she’d never had the opportunity.

‘I could teach you if you’d like?’

Maddie could have sworn she’d been hearing things if Tommy hadn’t looked at her expectantly for an answer.

‘Are you sure? I would have thought a busy man like you wouldn’t have time for stuff like that.’ Maddie inquired, feeling her cheeks blush. A silence fell between them and Maddie couldn’t help but feel the same tension that she’d felt between them before. Tommy looked into her eyes with his blue piercing gaze from under the peak of his cap. Maddie became acutely aware of her breathing which had become deeper and more panty as she looked back at him.

‘I’m sure,’ Tommy finally said, breaking the silence briefly before it surrounded them again, neither one of them able to break eye contact with the other. Then Tommy stepped forward, close enough to Maddie so that only an inch of air separated them. Maddie found she was rooted to the spot as if in a trance, unable to move her body or her eyes away.

Tommy started to slowly bring his face towards Maddie’s, and she caught a whiff of his cologne mixed with the musky scent of cigarette smoke. God it was intoxicating. Maddie’s eyes flitted to his lips, licking her own reflexively as she waited for them to connect with hers as he hovered, hesitating slightly with his face inches from hers. She felt his cool hand touch her cheek and she inhaled sharply at the unexpected contact. She felt the rough skin of his thumb run along her bottom lip, tracing the route her tongue had just made. Maddie’s breath hitched in her throat. Tommy eventually moved to eliminate the little space left between them and Maddie closed her eyes in anticipation for his lips to connect with hers.

Then, as if with perfect timing, the horse snorted loudly next to them and Maddie’s eyes shot open as she stepped back from Tommy and his touch, the spell between them shattering. Maddie felt her body light up with electricity, reverberating as the tension broke, leaving her with the uncomfortable feeling of blood roaring violently through her veins. Tommy’s hand lingered in mid-air where it had been as Maddie looked down, avoiding his gaze as she attempted to stop herself from panting.

‘Er… I think we should probably get back. I asked Frances to prepare a bath for me and it’s probably stone cold by now’, Maddie laughed awkwardly unable to bear the pregnant silence.

Tommy cleared his throat gruffly and established his previous posture, putting his hands in his pockets, returning to his usual cold self as if nothing happened. Not like they nearly just kissed, Maddie thought. And not another kiss like the last one. Maddie was sure that they were about to have one of those sickly passionate kisses that would have left her breathless and tingling between her legs.

‘Yes, I agree,’ Tommy said, indicating for Maddie exit the stable first.

They walked back into the house side by side and Maddie keenly grappled to eliminate the silence by asking Tommy how his day had been. Busy, he said. Not giving Maddie any further detail. They walked the rest of the way in silence until they entered the foyer. Frances appearing as soon as her master had stepped through the door.

‘Shall I come and find you later Tommy, to discuss business?’ Maddie asked as firmly and as matter of fact as she could as they handed Frances their coats.

Tommy cleared his throat again, ‘Yes, come and find me in my office when you’re ready’.

They parted ways in the foyer as they had done the previous day, but this time with a definite air of sexual tension Maddie was sure anyone could cut with a sodding knife. Maddie practically ran up the stairs and too her bedroom, not caring that she still had on her dirty boots and was probably leaving a trail of dirt behind her.  
As soon as she shut herself in her bedroom Maddie leant back against the door and buried her face in her hands as she tried to wrap her head around what had just happened.

‘What the fuck are you doing Maddie?’ she whispered. Was she falling for him? Falling for Thomas Shelby? She shook her head frantically, trying to shake the thought out of her head. He’s a gangster, a killer, you know this, Maddie argued with herself internally. But part of Maddie yearned to know what that kiss would have been like, yearned to continue flirting with Tommy to see what would happen.

She sighed in frustration, shaking out her hands to try and release the tension from her body. Fuck did the need to punch something, she could kill to kick the living hell out of some poor vampire in that moment. Maddie was sure that everything that she was feeling was exacerbated by the sudden lack of regular violence in her life. Surprising considering, she was currently keeping company with murderous gangsters. Maddie looked around her room and noticed that all her new clothes had been neatly put away in the drawers and the wardrobe, the room now spotlessly tidy.

Maddie marched herself into the bathroom and was relieved to see the bath was full of piping hot soapy water, the steam curling off the water’s surface invitingly. Thank you, Frances! Maddie stripped naked, discarding her clothes in an untidy heap on the floor. She submerged her body in the water and moaned with relief. The heat penetrating her tense muscles and gently easing the knots out of them.

Maddie soon calmed herself down as he reclined back in the tub, inhaling the steam through her nose letting it carry her into a tranquil haze. However hard Maddie tried though, Tommy kept tiptoeing back into her mind. That moment in the stable played out again only this time their lips had managed to meet. Their lips pressed together softly at first but quickly became firmer and more heated as she imagined him tasting of a mixture of whiskey and cigarettes. Tommy’s hand then wandered to the small of her back and pulled her flush against him as his lips moved away from her lips to her jaw and neck. 

Maddie felt her pussy begin to throb and quiver as she pictured the scene, only just managing to stop herself from reaching her hand down between her legs to feel herself. It took even more willpower to push the daydream from her mind and bring herself back to reality. She grabbed a glass bottle from the little table by the bath and scrutinised it trying to determine if it were shampoo. Deciding she didn’t really care and just needed to do something with her hands that wouldn’t lead to her masturbating at the thought of Tommy’s hands on her. She poured a handful of the liquid into her hair and began scrubbing furiously. 

Maddie remained in the bath until her fingertips began to wrinkle and turn white when she begrudgingly lifted herself out of the water and towelled herself off. The bath had considerably improved Maddie’s nerves, despite her little sex daydream making an impromptu appearance.

Maddie perused her newly purchased wardrobe in her towel, knowing she should choose something modest that wouldn’t attract Tommy’s gaze and wind him up too much. But Maddie felt like her hands weren’t her own as she pulled out a black dress that was sheer around the neck and shoulders. It was also slightly shorter than all the others, sitting just above her knee. Hardly scandalous for Maddie but she was sure it was considered risqué now. Maddie was being spurred on by her carnal needs and desires she knew, more like their slave in actual fact.

Maddie dressed in fresh underwear, enjoying the feeling of the expensive silk on her skin. Ada certainly hadn’t saved any money on any aspect of her wardrobe. She plaited her wet hair and hung it down and over one shoulder. Maddie then pulled on the black dress and a matching black cardigan, finally finishing with black heels and regarded herself in the mirror. She couldn’t help but feel something was missing, then she remembered the makeup Ada had also bought as part of the hoard. Maddie rifled through the small bag on her dresser and found a tube of red lipstick. She applied it generously to her lips, making them look immediately plumper and fuller. 

‘Why am I doing this?’ Maddie muttered to her reflection in bewilderment. It was a silly question because Maddie knew exactly what she was doing. She was going to waltz into Tommy’s office looking like a bloody harlot and her confident rebellious side was buzzing to do it. 

With that revelation Maddie made her way downstairs to Tommy’s office. She stopped short at the foot of the stairs, realising she didn’t know where Tommy’s office was. She looked around debating whether to try each door individually when she recognised the laughs of John and Arthur coming from a door down the end of a long corridor. Oh, thank god, Maddie breathed. She was glad that Tommy’s brothers were there, she wasn’t sure she could trust herself to be in a room alone with Tommy for too long.

She approached the door and gave it a sharp knock. After a short pause she heard Tommy’s voice ordering her to come in. Maddie pushed the door and found herself in an attractive office. There was floor to ceiling bookshelves along one wall and the middle of the room was furnished with luxurious sofas and low tables on an equally luxurious looking rug. Tommy was sat at his desk which must have been wider than Maddie was tall, cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. John and Arthur looked up as Maddie entered and jumped up to greet her.

‘Here’s our Mads! Finally decides to show her face after keeping us waiting!’ John laughed, bounding over to Maddie and lifting her up in a hug. He spun her around in his embrace as she giggled uncontrollably, not expecting such an informal form of greeting.

‘It’s nice to see you too John!’, said Maddie as John put her back down on the floor. ‘You too Arthur.’

Arthur nodded, grinning cheekily, ‘You scrub up nice in your new rags don’t ya? Go on give us a twirl then!’ Maddie flushed at Arthurs cheeky smile and indulged them a little twirl, finishing the pirouette with a curtsey.

‘Very nice indeed!’ Arthur complimented with a wink. ‘Don’t you agree Tom?’

The three of them turned to Tommy now, who had been mostly ignored during their childish interaction. Maddie met Tommy’s gaze and knew her choice of outfit had had the effect she desired. His eyes dragged themselves up from her feet to her head, the rest of his body unmoving as he regarded her. She saw the muscles in his jaw flex in an effort to remain indifferent.

‘We are here to discuss business with Maddie’, Tommy leered, voice dripping with venom. ‘Not discuss her new fashion choices.’ He put his cigarette out in the ashtray and leaned back in his chair, glaring at the three of them in command to sit down. Maddie saw Arthur and John glance and smirk at each other out of the corner of her eye as she locked her gaze with Tommy, neither of them blinking. Maddie pursed her lips together in a smug smirk as she approached the chair in front of Tommy’s desk, not breaking eye contact with him once as she sat.

Arthur sat on the sofa to Maddie’s left as John leaned against the bookshelf to her right. They waited there a moment before Tommy cleared his throat and began to speak.

‘My family and I have discussed what uses you may have for us in Shelby Company Ltd and we have managed to draw up a list of those possible uses to discuss with you,’ he began, picking up a sheet of paper which he began to read from. ‘Item one: training of our new recruits in hand to hand combat. Item two: support Arthur and John with various takeover of pubs in Birmingham and finally item three: stand in opponent for a boxing match. You help us do these and I’ll take you to London on my next visit personally’. Tommy finished his itemised list, lit up another cigarette and looked over at Maddie as her jaw dropped open in pure shock.

Did he say boxing match? Train in hand to hand combat? Take over pubs? Maddie’s heart began to pick up speed rapidly, all these things sounded like gang related business to her. But of course, that would be how Tommy would use her, her talents were far more useful as a member of the Peaky Blinders than as an employee of Shelby Company Ltd.

‘That all sounds… rather violent,’ stuttered Maddie, still reeling from hearing Tommy’s list.

‘Well your abilities do lend themselves to this kind of work,’ Tommy replied with his brow furrowed.

Maddie nodded ‘I suppose you’re not wrong’, she sighed. She thought about Tommy’s proposal a minute before asking the only burning make or break question that occurred to her.

‘Are you expecting me to kill anyone?’

Tommy shook his head, his expression softening slightly at the sight of Maddie’s sudden nervousness and fear.

‘Arthur and John will make sure you won’t have to kill anyone while on jobs with them. You’ll just be there as muscle and for intimidation purposes.’ 

Maddie scoffed, ‘How are you so sure anyone is going to consider me intimidating Tommy?’

‘One good punch in the gut from you should be more than enough to intimidate a room full of drunken men’, laughed John giving her a reassuring smile.

Maddie let out a sigh and looked back over at Tommy. Just these three jobs and she could go home, back to her comfy bed, pyjamas and modern-day food. More importantly, away from this dangerous dance she’d entered with the Peaky Blinders and with Thomas Shelby.

‘Alright,’ she said confidently, sitting up straight and giving a wry smile. ‘I agree to your terms.’

The next hour was spent discussing the fine print of Maddie’s contract, for want of a better word. Including the when, where and what of Maddie’s duties over the next couple of weeks. Two weeks. That was all Maddie needed endure. Two weeks of trying not to get in too deep with the activities of the Peaky Blinders; more importantly two weeks of resisting the temptation of getting too close to Tommy.

When they had reached an agreement, Tommy stood from his chair and walked to front of his desk to stand in front of Maddie.

‘I look forward to our successful partnership, Maddie,’ Tommy held out his hand to her as she stood and took it; squeezing it more firmly than was necessary. The handshake lasted half a second longer than normal, Tommy’s grip becoming gentle as he held her hand in his. He ran his fingertips along the inside of Maddie’s wrist and palm as they finally pulled their hands apart, sending a shiver up Maddie's spine before she replied.

‘Me too.’ 

***

Maddie lay on her bed in the dark staring at the ceiling. Another large dinner that evening had juiced up her muscles yet again, and she was trying her best to relax before the time came for her to sneak out to the graveyard in the nearby village. That evening had been considerably more reserved than the previous as Maddie had made a point of avoiding alcohol the whole night. Only John, Arthur and Tommy had been at dinner and Tommy’s brothers soon announced their departure home, meaning Tommy and Maddie would be left alone.

Luckily it was late enough that Maddie could give Tommy the excuse of wanting to have an early night.

‘I have some business to attend to in my office anyway,’ Tommy had said as he nodded his agreement to Maddie’s suggestion. His lips moved into the familiar kissable non-smile as they stood at the bottom of the stairs after dinner. ‘After the… excitement… of your first day here I would think an early night would do you some good.’

Maddie knew his alliteration of the word ‘excitement’ was in reference to their almost kiss in the stable, and the from fact that he gave her a knowing look with his eyebrow slightly raised.

‘Yeah, I think you’re right. I doubt my body can take much more excitement,’ Maddie replied in a voice dripping with sarcasm. She couldn’t help but raise her eyebrow back flirtatiously at Tommy who inhaled deeply in response, his jaw muscles flexing.

‘Good night,’ said Maddie, giving Tommy a parting cheeky smile as she began to climb the stairs.

‘Good night Maddie,’ said Tommy with a cool evenness. Maddie didn’t look back as he she heard him walk away to his office, worried that if she did, she would be tempted to follow him there.

Once in her room, Maddie had gotten changed back into her trousers and shirt form earlier which had been hung back up in her wardrobe by one of the maids and proceeded to pace the room trying to keep herself occupied until she would be fairly confident the house had gone to bed. This proved to be difficult as Maddie found that she missed having her mobile phone for the first time since arriving in 1924, only now feeling the absence of something that was so commonly used to pass the time back home. She toyed with the idea of going to find a book but didn’t want to ruin the illusion that she’d fed to Tommy of her being tucked up in bed.

Eventually Maddie had thrown herself on the bed in annoyance. She shut her eyes and attempted to do some meditation in preparation for her little night-time escapade and managed to pass some time in this position.

Maddie glanced over at the clock and saw that it was past midnight and decided the time had come. She put her coat on, glad that Frances hadn’t found the stake she’d left in the pocket form earlier and opened her bedroom door a crack to peer outside. The corridor was dark and quiet and reassuringly empty, the coast was clear. Maddie suck out into the corridor and towards the stairs. As she moved through the darkness, she felt the gloom was flipping on switches in her body that heightened her senses an reflexes. Naturally a slayer’s natural habitat was the darkness.

She crept efficiently like a predator though the house until she reached the foyer. She looked around her to check she was still alone and felt her heart lurch when she saw a thin line of light coming from under Tommy’s office door. Was he still up working? Maddie remained frozen to the spot as she watched for any sign of movement from the other side of the office door. After a couple of minutes of seeing no sign of movement Maddie decided she needed to move before someone found her. She continued her path to the front door and turned the large brass knob. Locked.

‘Shit!’ Maddie whispered. She looked around her frantically and decided to try a back door. She wandered down the corridor towards the kitchen and scullery area before finally coming across another locked door to the outside. Maddie sighed and wondered if her midnight walk was going to have to be cancelled when she spotted a key hung on hook on the wall next to the door. Huh that was lucky, Maddie thought. She unlocked the door with the key as quietly as she could and shut and locked it again behind her, tucking the key into her pocket.

Maddie breathed in the cold night air and felt herself relax. She rolled her shoulders back and began to run across the grounds of the mansion towards the tree line to warm her muscles up in preparation, she hoped, for a half-decent fight. Maddie started by sprinting to the trees to get her heart rate up and slowed to a jog to run along the tree line to the the spot where the driveway entered the trees. Her eyesight had already adjusted to the darkness and she found it easy to traverse the uneven boggy ground.

Maddie made good time getting to the graveyard, making it there in less than ten minutes. She started by circling the graveyard, scouting it for exits and for any obvious signs of vamps lurking about. She was in luck because she spotted a newly dug grave from her lookout point behind the gate. Maddie leapt and somersaulted over the top of the fence, landing with the stealth of a cat.

Maddie inspected the new grave and crossed her fingers. Please make there be just one vampire here tonight so I can kick some fucking butt, she though to herself. Maddie decided to sweep the rest of the graveyard again whilst she waited to see if some poor unsuspecting vamp would emerge. This proved to be a rookie mistake as when Maddie returned to the grave, she realised she had indeed been lucky.

There was now a hole that went down to the coffin buried underneath the grave and claw marks that marked the soil surrounding the grave where a vamp had dug its way out. Well shit.

Then Maddie heard a low menacing growl behind her and couldn’t help but smile to herself when she turned. A female vampire was crouched about ten feet away from her with its fangs bared, the black dress it was wearing was torn and caked with dirt.

‘Oh, thank god! I thought I was going to have to track you down to fight you!’ said Maddie. The vampire bared its teeth more and started towards Maddie. Here we go!  
The creature leapt towards Maddie and she grabbed it; bringing her knee up to kick it in the chest. Maddie followed with an uppercut to the vamp’s face which sent it staggering backwards. The vamp looked at her in confusion before advancing on Maddie again. Maddie brawled with the vampire for as long as she could draw out the fight, pummelling the vamp within an inch of it’s unlife. The vamp began to give as good as it got when it realised it wasn’t going to be able to kill Maddie easily.

Maddie laid a series of kicks and punches to the vamp’s head; she still hadn’t felt ready to pull the stake out yet, deciding she was still enjoying the first proper fight she’d had since travelling back in time. The vamp eventually caught Maddie’s leg before her boot contacted its head again and turned and threw Maddie by her leg several feet through the air. She crashed into a rather old looking gravestone which crumbled to bits as he collided with it; she let out a huff of air with the impact. Now this is more like it, Maddie thought.

Maddie was unphased and quickly flipped herself back up to standing and continued to pummel the vampire ruthlessly. The vamp succeeded in connecting its fists with Maddie’s face which stung, but Maddie found that she relished in the rush of adrenaline that the pain was giving her.

After another round of kicks, punches and throws around the graveyard Maddie finally drew her stake from her jacket pocket just as the vampire managed to grab a hold of Maddie’s neck, digging her claws into Maddie throat and drawing blood. A swift swipe to bat the vamp’s hand away caused the vamp to flail backwards and Maddie plunged her new stake into the vamp’s chest; the vamp disintegrating into dust.

Maddie tilted her head back and took a long deep breath, closing her eyes and letting the aftermath feeling of the fight wash over her. She admitted that that was more of a hunt rather than a standard fight she got when out on her usual patrols back home. But the excitement of the last two days had wound Maddie up more that she originally realised, and that fight was more than needed. Excitement. She laughed as she remembered the word Tommy had used and pondered what Tommy would think about Maddie’s method of releasing her pent-up energy.

‘That’s better,’ signed Maddie.

Maddie did one last sweep of the graveyard just in case before making her way back to Arrow House. On the walk back Maddie could feel how sweaty she had gotten during her fight and could also feel her muscles and joints begin to ache deliciously. 

‘Fuck, have I missed this feeling!’ Maddie laughed to herself as she weaved her way through the trees back to the house.


	6. First Day on the Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally a new chapter! Sorry for the wait, hope you enjoy!

Tommy rubbed his eyes with his thumbs, holding his head in his hands as he leant over the papers on his desk. A half-smoked cigarette was gripped between his fingers that emitted a long swirling tendril of smoke around him as he sat there. His whiskey glass sat next to him empty, he had just finished yet another glass to try and relieve the stress his work was causing him.

Tommy had spent much of the night like this and had achieved very little in the way of his work. He had found his mind clouded by a myriad of thoughts all combating for his attention. For starters business with the Russians and the Odd Fellows was becoming fragile; Tommy felt like he was walking on a thin sheet of ice at the best of times and was certain that it was only a matter of time before that business would come to a head. The planned expansion and objectives for the company in general were also commanding a lot of Tommy’s attention, more than it should considering the number of people he employed to complete this work.

Then there was Maddie. She had entered Tommy’s mind repetitively and incessantly throughout the night. Just when he began to focus on one of these problems long enough to make some progress, Maddie sauntered into his mind, bringing him crashing back to square one and pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He was glad that she had agreed to their proposal; her input would undoubtedly be beneficial and would help to alleviate some of the company’s current dilemmas.

But Tommy’s thoughts kept fixating on the interactions he’d had with Maddie throughout the day. In particular, the encounter in the stables. He could remember how soft the skin of her cheek and lips were under his thumb and how his heart had rammed itself against his sternum as he got within a hairs breath of connecting his lips to hers. It had taken all of Tommy’s willpower to keep his composure when the moment had broken between them. He had immediately wanted to close the gap she had made, to pull her against him firmly and press his lips to hers as he had intended. Instead he had resisted. This had resulted in a dangerous shift in his demeanour leading him to be increasingly tense and easily angered.

Tommy regretted that he hadn’t made much effort to hide his change in mood and whenever Maddie entered his mind, he found himself worrying that his displays of annoyance in her presence had caused her to think less of him. However, she hadn’t exactly made it easy for him to remain composed. Maddie’s choice of attire and brassiness earlier that night was an obvious attempt to push Tommy’s buttons and he found that it angered him more than it should have. 

Her relentless flirting had succeeded in making Tommy more and more frustrated. Recurrent images of Maddie entered his head relentlessly as he worked and had made his muscles twitch in effort to keep his emotions at bay. Tommy could feel himself getting aroused as he recounted how they flirted with each other subtly but with an undertone of aggressiveness throughout the evening. Tommy eventually admitted to himself that he wanted Maddie; he wanted to feel her body beneath his and he found himself wondering what sounds she would make as he pleasured her.

‘Fuck!’ Tommy signed to himself as he leant back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He had resigned that he wouldn’t be getting anymore work done that night. It was approaching three in the morning and his mind and body were exhausted with this losing battle of trying to keep focus.

Tommy got up and marched to his decanter yet again, pouring the remaining whiskey into his glass, filling it nearly to the brim. He took a large swig of the fiery liquid as he walked over to the window behind his desk. He pulled the curtains apart slightly so he could look out into the darkness. Tommy watched the mist swirl in calm circles and noticed the icy frost that was forming on the grass, sparkling as the moonlight hit the ground. He stood there for a few minutes as he finished off his drink, hoping it would be enough to knock him to sleep once he made it into bed. 

Then Tommy spotted the dark outline of a person walking across the lawn towards the opposite side of the house. He froze in place as he watched the figure for a second before he quickly turned to throw his glass on the desk and draw his pistol from the holster he always wore before marching out of his office into the dark corridor. 

Tommy walked along the wall of the foyer to the opposite corridor where he peered out the window again and concluded that the figure was heading towards the side door that entered the kitchen. With his gun raised in front of him, Tommy moved into the kitchen and to the side of the window where he waited, muscles tensed in anticipation for this night-time intruder to walk past the window.

When Tommy finally saw who the trespasser was, he realised it was in fact Maddie, who was strolling nonchalantly over the gravel towards the door. She had what looked like a piece of wood in one hand and went to pull a key from her pocket with the other. Tommy sighed and clenched his jaw while the rest of his body relaxed. He put his gun back in its holster as he felt anger begin to replace his relief that an assassin wasn’t trying to find their way into his home. What the fuck was she doing out in the dark at this time? More importantly, this meant she had lied to him about going to bed early.

Tommy went and waited like a statue a few feet away from the door as he heard they key being turned in the lock. The door creaked open and Maddie ducked into the kitchen quietly, Tommy realised that she barely made a sound as she stepped on the stone floor of the kitchen. She then silently pushed the door shut again behind her and locked it.

Tommy cleared his throat, the sound distinctively loud in the empty silence of the room. Maddie whipped around to face Tommy with the piece of wood, which Tommy now realised was pointed at one end, raised above her head. Her expression was ready for a fight and her other hand was clenched into a fist.

When she realised who it was, Maddie’s face relaxed and she dropped her hands. ‘Fuck, Tommy you scared the shit out of me!’ she whispered angrily as she turned to hang the key on the nail by the door. ‘Word of advice, never sneak up on a slayer in the dark if you want to keep your head.’

‘Out for a late-night stroll, eh?’ Tommy asked, unable to keep the anger from his voice. She was lucky she didn’t run into any unsavoury characters, Tommy thought. With all the enemies he was making of late, he had no doubt that they were sending regular spies out to watch the house from the borders of the property at night.

Maddie noticed the tone in Tommy’s voice and immediately adopted a defensive posture, folding her arms over her chest and locking eyes with Tommy in the darkness. ‘You have a problem with that?’ she asked bitterly.

Tommy huffed and shook his head, he could feel his temper clawing up to the surface, threatening to blow at any second. He took a deep breath as he turned to switch on the light in the kitchen. Maddie squinted momentarily with the sudden transition to light but proceeded to look at Tommy questioningly for an answer, her brow creased in an angry scowl.

Tommy regarded Maddie in the light, and he noticed that her hair and clothes were caked in dirt and dust. Her hair was still in a plait, but multiple strands had fallen out. Her baby hairs were stuck to her forehead which Tommy also noticed was beaded with sweat. More worryingly, Tommy spotted a sizeable purple bruise blooming on the cheek he had touched earlier that evening.

‘What happened?’ Tommy questioned with his brow furrowed, ignoring Maddie’s question.

‘What do you mean?’ said Maddie, looking at Tommy confused.

Tommy stepped forward closer to Maddie and nodded to her, ‘Your cheek. Its bruised,’ he stated with a cool evenness despite the sensation of his stomach rolling at the thought that Maddie may have had a fight with one of his enemy’s spies.

‘Oh, it is?’ Maddie said. She prodded her cheek with her finger and winced with the pressure. ‘Well I suppose she did pack a pretty good wallop.’

‘She?’

Maddie huffed impatiently as she looked back up to meet Tommy’s gaze again. ‘A vampire if you must know. And before you ask, no it wasn’t on the grounds. I went to the cemetery in the village to see if there were any about,’ Maddie said, raising her eyebrows indignantly like a petulant child. 

Tommy let himself relax and found himself give a small smile of relief as he nodded at Maddie. At least his enemies didn’t know about her, but Tommy was still annoyed that she had decided to sneak out in the middle of the night.

‘What’s so funny?’ Maddie asked, also starting to relax and drop her defensive front.

‘Nothing.’ Tommy recovered, pulling his features back into an icy glare. ‘In fact, it’s distinctly not funny that you went out by yourself. You have no idea who you could have run into out there!’ Tommy’s voice gradually rose as he said this, pointing out the window to illustrate his statement. His temper had finally snapped and now Maddie was on the receiving end of it. This was the first time he’d raised his voice in front of her, he realised.

Maddie’s nostrils flared furiously as her eyes widened slightly in shock in reaction to Tommy’s sudden outburst.

‘As I’ve told you before Tommy. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. And I don’t feel like you get to dictate when I leave this house.’

Tommy clenched his jaw tightly, gritting his teeth in an effort to stay calm, ‘Maddie. The enemies I have are dangerous in more ways than just physical. If they found out about you, it could put not just you but my whole family in danger.’

Maddie blinked and shifted sheepishly as she took in this information, suddenly looking guilty. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and sighed.

‘I’m sorry Tommy, I didn’t realise…’ she trailed off awkwardly. Tommy turned away from her and ran his hand through his hair, willing himself to calm down and let it go. But he still wasn’t sure why she would go out to fight vampires for no good reason in the middle of the countryside.

‘It’s alright,’ said Tommy turning back to face Maddie. They looked at each other again, meeting each other’s gaze unblinkingly, a seemingly common occurrence between the two of them by this point. ‘I hope you managed to kill this vampire with your…?’ Tommy indicated to the wooden stick still in Maddie’s hand, not sure what to call it.

‘Stake?’, she laughed, evidently glad that Tommy seemed to have calmed down a touch. ‘Yeah, she’s as good as dust. Nothing beats a trusty stake to take out the vamps.’

‘Do you usually look this rough after fighting one vampire?’ Tommy inquired. He found it odd that Maddie looked like she had been fighting several foes, not just one. Especially as he knew that she was more than a capable fighter after watching her fight the first time they met.

‘No, not usually. I may have drawn out the fight for longer than was strictly necessary. I needed to let out some balled up energy. It’s not like I have anywhere to train around here. I was lucky that there was even one vampire all the way out here!’ Maddie laughed to herself as she took her coat off and went and sat down at the kitchen table, bending over to unlace her boots. ‘I was planning on getting back before anyone knew I was gone. Which I would have done if you hadn’t still been awake.’ 

Tommy gave a nod as he listened and watched Maddie take her feet out of her boots and begin massaging them.

‘The bitch managed to get some good hits on me though, and she threw me into a gravestone for good measure. That bruise is going to last a few days.’

Just a few days? Tommy was still discovering how tough and durable being a slayer made someone. By the sounds of this fight, most people would have been hospitalised by now and yet Maddie didn’t even seem phased, despite looking slightly dishevelled.

Tommy went and sat down on the chair opposite Maddie and lit up another cigarette from the silver case in his pocket. He felt Maddie glance at him from the other side of the table as they sat in silence for a few minutes, both exhausted from their night’s activities. Tommy finished the cigarette quickly and stubbed it out in the ashtray on the table.

Eventually Maddie broke the silence and sighed, ‘I’m bloody filthy too. Too bad Frances is asleep, I could do with another bath right now.’ She looked over at Tommy with a sly smile and he promptly looked away and breathed in deeply through his nostrils. Was she really flirting with him now?

An image of Maddie sitting naked in the bath flashed through Tommy’s mind. Her wet hair and skin glistening in the light of the fireplace. Tommy cleared his throat and shook the image from his mind as he crossed his legs so Maddie wouldn’t see the evidence of his provocative imagination.

‘I can wake Frances if that’s what you want,’ Tommy said as evenly as he could, meeting Maddie’s eyes again.

Maddie laughed and shook her head, ‘I think Frances is really going to have it out for me if I wake her up just for that. I’ll just get cleaned up after a few hours’ sleep.’  
With that Maddie stood up and Tommy followed. He found himself facing her again and she smiled up at him through her dark eyelashes, he found he couldn’t stop the corner of his lips turning up to mirror hers.

‘I really am sorry for sneaking out. I doubt there will be much point in doing it again though,’ she apologised and pouted her lips innocently at him.

Fuck did Tommy want to kiss those lips. He flitted his gaze down to them and couldn’t help but stare at them. Maddie must have noticed because he watched as her lips turned up in another smile.

Tommy swallowed thickly and shifted his attention to Maddie’s bruise which was now a darker shade of purple. He lifted his hand to touch the bruise softly with his thumb. Maddie’s other cheek blushed noticeably, and she ducked her head down bashfully. Tommy couldn’t help but feel smug that he’d managed to make Maddie react this way again with just a small touch.

However, Maddie quickly recovered her confidence and looked straight into Tommy’s eyes as he began to caress her cheek tenderly. He suddenly felt a new feeling of protectiveness for Maddie. Which was of course ridiculous considering she was a slayer and far more deadly than he was. Nevertheless, he realised he didn’t want to see Maddie get hurt, no matter how minor she insisted her injuries were.

Then Maddie stepped forward to close the space between them; just as Tommy had done in the stables. She put her hand over Tommy’s that was on her cheek as she continued to look up at him. Tommy could feel his breath and Maddie’s deepen; their chests brushed as Maddie leaned further forward towards him. He could feel the same force taking hold of them that had entranced them before, but this time there was nothing to interrupt them. Tommy decided then that he wasn’t going to let the moment pass as it did last time.

Tommy put his other hand on her other cheek as he admired Maddie’s face. Despite the sweat, dirt and tousled hair she still looked beautiful. Her eyes were blue like the summer sky, not like the pale lifeless blue of his own eyes. They looked into each other’s eyes for what felt like several minutes until Tommy eventually brought his face to Maddie’s.

He pressed his lips to Maddie’s gently, and he heard her sharp intake of breath. Tommy could feel his heart thudding as if it were trying to break out of his chest; his blood was surging through his veins as he relished the feeling of her soft lips finally against his. He felt Maddie’s hand on the back of his head, and she began to stroke the shaved hair there with her fingers which sent sparks tingling down the back of his neck.

Gradually Maddie’s hand began to pull Tommy’s head down further as the kiss became deeper. She also began to move her lips faster and more forcefully against Tommy’s. He could feel himself becoming hard in his trousers and he responded by moving his hands to the small of her back. Tommy lifted Maddie’s shirt slightly so he could feel the skin of her lower back. He had done nothing but imagine the feeling of her skin in his hands all night and he was thankful to finally feel it for real. 

Maddie let out an almost imperceptible moan as Tommy gripped the flesh of her hips firmly and he smiled victoriously against her lips, glad to have finally gotten his own back for the unexpected kiss at the office. This proved to fuel the two of them on more as Tommy felt Maddie’s tongue teasingly run along his bottom lip followed by a gentle bite. Tommy couldn’t hold in the growl that shuddered in his chest. He wanted to desperately pick Maddie up and slam her against the wall, trapping her there. But he didn’t want to risk taking it too far and breaking up the moment too soon.

Hearing Tommy’s growl in reaction to her teasing, Maddie pressed her body up against his roughly. He automatically moved his hand down and squeezed her ass firmly. Tommy was sure Maddie could feel his now marble hard erection pressing into her abdomen. Indeed, he was right because Maddie started to grind her hips against it eliciting a low moan from Tommy’s throat. He could feel his control waning, he wasn’t sure how long he could last before he would need to start taking her clothes off. He was enjoying how they were fighting for dominance over each other. Riling each other up more with every second that passed.

Tommy finally broke his lips from hers to begin kissing and nipping his way along her jaw and down her neck. He brought one hand up to fist a handful of her hair so he could tilt her head to one side to gain better access.

‘Tommy…’ Maddie whispered hazily as she gripped the longer hair on Tommy’s head harder as he continued to kiss her neck. The sound of her breathless voice saying his name was like music to Tommy’s ears. It prompted him to run his lips slowly back up and down her neck in an attempt to get her to say his name again.

‘Tommy wait…’ Maddie said with more volume. Tommy didn’t want to let Maddie go, he wanted to feel every inch of her body with his hands and his lips.

‘Hmm?’ he breathed against her skin as he brought the hand that was still on her waist up to glide under her shirt over the skin of her back.

‘We need to stop.’ 

Maddie’s grip was suddenly on Tommy’s forearms. She released his arms from around her waist as easily as a child’s and pulled back from Tommy’s lips, creating some space between them. He looked at her with confusion and a little frustration. Tommy was now acutely aware of his cock throbbing desperately in his trousers as he panted, the blood racing around his body creating a buzzing sound in his ears. Tommy was suddenly worried he’d been too forceful and had upset Maddie, but her expression didn’t seem to signal that she was unhappy, even though she was noticeably flustered. 

‘We need to stop before this goes any further,’ panted Maddie hastily, seeing Tommy’s expression. ‘It’s not like I don’t want to… because I do, but we have only just met, it doesn’t feel right.’

They stood there staring at each other as Tommy digested what Maddie said. He could feel the temptation to kiss her again pulling at him and he knew Maddie was battling the same urge as she gave him a conflicted look. Their gazes shifted between looking at the other’s eyes to their lips hungrily.

Regaining his composure, Tommy finally cleared his throat and lowered his arms to his sides begrudgingly. Maddie was right, he thought, they were essentially complete strangers. But he admitted internally that he still wanted her desperately. However, he didn’t want to push Maddie into anything she wasn’t comfortable with. Equally though, he realised then that Maddie would probably find a way back to her time before whatever it was between them could progress. Tommy could feel a sense of panic at the thought of Maddie vanishing from his life as quickly as she had appeared.

‘Alright,’ nodded Tommy, taking a step back. ‘I’m just glad I got you back for that kiss you stole the other day.’ He gifted Maddie with one of his rare smiles, even if it was a smug one. Maddie let out a small giggle and a defeated nod.

‘Yeah. That definitely beat my kiss by a long way,’ she smiled back at Tommy and winked flirtatiously, making Tommy’s softening erection twitch.

They both agreed to make their way to their rooms before they were tempted to discover where their kiss would have led to. They walked up the stairs together and parted at the top, wishing each other goodnight as they turned hurriedly away from one another. Tommy found he had to resist the temptation to turn around and follow Maddie to her room by marching briskly down the corridor to his own door.

Once in the safety and seclusion of his bedroom, Tommy undressed and collapsed onto the bed, sighing as he closed his eyes. The image of his and Maddie’s embrace immediately painted the back of his eyelids. Despite how aroused he had been he remembered that he also felt a rush of affection for Maddie when they kissed. A feeling he recalled only ever having felt for Grace before now. 

Tommy realised that he was dreading the day that Maddie would find her way back home. He forced the sudden feeling of fear of losing Maddie deep down inside himself as he willed for sleep to take him.

***

Over the next few days Tommy found himself engulfed in work, spending much of his time at the office. He even slept there a couple of nights when his work ran on into the early hours of the morning as it often did. He obsessed over the plans for the robbery of the military tanks; as well as the plan to double cross the Russians at the same time.

His family also proved to be a perpetual annoyance. John and Arthur constantly interrupted Tommy to clarify particular details of jobs that Tommy had already explained more times than he could recall. This led to him loosing his temper with them more than once. Polly also insisted on giving Tommy regular lectures, questioning his decision making at every turn. One afternoon though, she turned the topic of her ranting to Maddie.

When Tommy had woken up the morning after their kiss, he knew he needed to avoid Maddie over the next few days. He still wanted her desperately, the desire to finish what they had started earlier that morning clawing at him as soon as he had opened his eyes. So, Tommy turned to the only method he knew to keep himself busy; working into the small hours of the morning fuelled only by cigarettes, whiskey and no small amount of cocaine. Keeping himself at the office for as long as possible was also an important factor in avoiding Maddie. He found it easier to concentrate knowing she wasn’t in close proximity.

The few evenings Tommy had returned to Arrow House he had only seen and spoken to Maddie a handful of times. During dinner one evening, when all his family had decided to attend, him and Maddie had shared numerous heated gazes across the table at each other which brought all of Tommy’s desires bubbling to the surface again.

Thankfully Maddie didn’t seem offended by Tommy’s sudden and constant absence from the house. During one of the short conversations they had shared over those few days she had said she was glad he was spending so much time away from the house. Ending their short conversation by giving him a reassuring, if slightly provocative smile. 

Tommy had also noticed that his family had been spending more and more time at his house and with Maddie. So much so that Maddie had seemed to have formed a strong bond with them all. Tommy had asked his family to gradually introduce more of the most trusted peaky boys to Maddie over the past couple of days. She would be working with them closely in the coming weeks and he wanted them all to be familiar with her. Maddie proved to be hit with the wider members of the gang, not that it surprised Tommy much. Johnny Dogs was particularly fond of her; John informed Tommy that Johnny had already tried to get Maddie involved in a bare-knuckle boxing match to win some money on bets. But Maddie thankfully had refused. John had also informed Tommy that Isiah had wasted no time in getting Maddie to dance with him the evening they met; information which Tommy tried his best to pretend he hadn’t heard.

As instructed, John and Arthur had spent a considerable amount of time with Maddie to iron out the details of exactly what they expected her to do when the time came for her to fulfil her contract. They reported back to him that she was more than prepared for the coming days, news which Tommy was pleased to hear. He picked up how fond his brothers had become of Maddie and noticed how the three of them had begun to behave like siblings.

Ada had visited once from London during the week and had set aside time specifically to see Maddie, and Tommy could tell that his sister was exceptionally keen her as well. Even though Tommy was outwardly indifferent to these developments between Maddie and his family, he found he was happy to see Maddie was fitting in well despite being in an unfamiliar place, or more accurately time.

Polly had even visited the house and, much to Tommy’s dismay, had insisted on reading Maddie’s palms and tea leaves. Which she now brought up during one of her monologues she insisted on giving to Tommy as he worked.

‘I know something has happened between you and Maddie, you know,’ Polly said softly as she finished her speech about what she thought about Maddie. A speech which Tommy had been trying his best to ignore up until that point.

Tommy lifted his gaze from the papers on his desk to meet Polly’s eyes. She was looking at him knowingly as she puffed on her cigarette, her lips pursed smugly. Nothing much escaped Polly’s notice and it never failed to piss Tommy off when it was something that concerned him.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about Pol,’ said Tommy, clearing his throat, giving Polly a mildly perplexed look in the hope it would deter her. Predictably it didn’t, and Polly simply shook her head slowly in response. 

‘The energy around the two of you has changed.’

Tommy stared back at his aunt, not allowing his face to reveal anything that would confirm Polly’s suspicions. However, he realised that he needn’t have bothered when Polly finally broke the silence.

‘Her leaves told me all I needed to know. That and she told me exactly what happened after she’d had a couple of drinks last night.’ Polly looked positively victorious as she revealed her gossip and Tommy swallowed thickly as they continued to stare each other down.

Great, all he needed was his entire family knowing about him and Maddie. And he was sure Pol would have told all the women by now, meaning the information would make its way around everyone else by the end of the day.

As if reading Tommy’s thoughts Polly let out a chuckle, ‘Don’t worry yourself Thomas, only myself and Ada know. And we aren’t planning on spreading it around, that poor girl has enough to deal with.’

Tommy nodded, somewhat relieved. The last thing he wanted was for Maddie to be treated differently by his family and make her feel uncomfortable. 

‘Good.’ Tommy finally said. He turned back to his work not wanting to say anymore on the subject, but Polly evidently had more to say.

‘But I’m sure even a child could tell there’s something going on. All they need to do is be in the same room as the two of you for more than five minutes.’

Tommy resented Polly for her regular insistence on concerning herself with his personal life, but he concluded that she was almost certainly right. He himself had noticed his family watching him and Maddie on the few occasions they had been within a few meters of each other. They had noticed Tommy and Maddie’s lustful gazes, some of them had exchanged smirks and giggles to each other when they did.

He sighed in frustration, rubbing his eyes. He could feel the toll of his long working hours beginning to catch up with him and Polly’s presence was giving him a headache. 

‘Are you trying to make a point here Pol?’ said Tommy, turning his hands upwards briefly in an exasperated gesture to signal his growing impatience.

‘I was getting there, Thomas,’ said Polly, quirking up one of her eyebrows. She leaned forward to put out her cigarette in the ashtray before continuing. ‘You know that you shouldn’t be pursuing her. As much as we all like her, she doesn’t belong here. For both your sakes, don’t get too close Thomas.’

Polly sighed and gave Tommy a disdainful look as he could feel the muscles in his jaw twitching. 

‘She’ll be gone before long Tommy. We all remember how you were after Grace died, and none of us want to see that again.’

Tommy could feel the back of his eyes burning as they did when a deeper part of him wanted to cry. But after many years of practice he had perfected the ability to repress the tears in front of his family. He kept his face emotionless as he looked away from his aunt to find his cigarette case in his pocket.

‘Thank you for your advice Pol.’ Tommy said, lighting up a much-needed cigarette. ‘Now if you’d be so kind as to give this to Lizzie on your way out.’ He held up a file to Polly as he looked back down to the other pieces of paper on his desk, declaring that the discussion was over.

Tommy heard Polly sigh, no doubt casting him a pained and exasperated look. She took the file from Tommy’s hand and he heard her walk across his office and out the door. As soon as the door had shut behind her, Tommy leaned himself back in his chair and breathed deeply.

He knew Polly was talking sense, and yet he wanted to believe she was wrong. Part of Tommy was hoping that Maddie would choose to stay here. A darker side of him wanted, when the time came, for there to be no way for Maddie to return to her time so she would be stuck here either way. He also battled with the new emotion of guilt. Guilt for betraying Grace by developing feelings for Maddie. Polly’s reminder of the grief he experienced when she had died brought all the traumatic memories flooding back. He rubbed his eyes as he desperately puffed on his cigarette to calm himself. Pull yourself together, Tom.

Tommy returned to his work with determination, he planned to return home that afternoon to prepare Maddie for her first job the next day. Despite Polly’s warning, he still wanted to get back and see Maddie’s face again. The more stubborn side of him wanted to continue pursuing Maddie, regardless of the fact that she would return home when the time came. He was a man who was used to getting what he wanted, and he certainly wanted Maddie.

***

As Tommy pulled up the driveway to Arrow House, he spotted Maddie walking across the gravel from the direction of the stables. She had also spotted Tommy and smiled widely, giving him a cheery wave. She was wearing a long thick skirt, the hem of which was caked in mud up to her knees. Tommy concluded that being covered in mud was going to be a recurring theme for Maddie. 

‘I think this the first time I’ve seen you in the daylight since the day I got here!’ called Maddie as Tommy stepped out of the car. He walked across the gravel to her with his hands in his pockets.

‘Well we’ve got a lot we need to cover before dinner,’ grunted Tommy as they walked towards the front door together. 

Tommy caught Maddie rolling her eyes in response to his humourless answer. ‘Honestly Tommy! You’re supposed to be like ‘Ha ha, yes Maddie you’re right. I may as well be a vampire with how much I love the night!’’ chuckled Maddie, giving her best imitation of Tommy’s low grumbly voice. ‘If you’re not careful people are going to think you have no sense of humour.’

Tommy blew air out of his nostrils in an attempt at a laugh. He may have been out of the office, but he still had work at the forefront of his mind. As amusing a Maddie was, when he was in this kind of mood it was rare to get a smile out of him.

Once they were inside, Tommy instructed Maddie to follow him to the office where Arthur, John and Finn were already waiting for them.

‘Fucking hell Mads!’ exclaimed John as they entered the room. ‘Have you been walking through a swamp or what?’ He laughed as he stared at Maddie’s soaking, muddy skirt.

As if only just realising she was filthy, Maddie looked down at her skirt in shock, ‘Maybe a walk down by the river wasn’t such a good idea in this skirt.’ Her cheeks blushed a rosy shade of red as Tommy’s brothers cackled at the sight of Maddie’s ruined clothes. 

Tommy had been surprised to see that Maddie’s bruise from the other night had long since healed; the evening following her fight in fact it had already turned yellow. Tommy had pondered what sort of injuries Maddie could survive that the average person couldn’t, although he hoped he wouldn’t have to find that out first-hand.  
‘Maybe I should go and change before I ruin the furniture,’ said Maddie, turning back towards the door.

‘Don’t take too long,’ said Tommy as he took of his suit jacket and hung it on the back of his chair. He threw Maddie a stern look as she stopped in the doorway when he spoke.

‘Alright grumpy guts,’ she said, smirking as she walked out the door, her heeled boots tapping loudly down the corridor as the door pulled shut. She really did come out with the strangest phrases; Tommy would never admit though that he found them endearing.

Tommy tried his best to ignore the immature sniggering of his brothers as he sat behind his desk and lit a cigarette, hoping to sit in silence whilst they waited for Maddie to return. But as usual his brothers proved that they didn’t share Tommy’s ability for being able to sit in comfortable silence. 

‘Good old Tom. Pulling out his winning charm to win over our Mads,’ said Arthur sarcastically, sending John and Finn into a fit of giggles which they attempted to supress poorly.

Tommy sighed angrily, casting Arthur a silent warning with his icy stare. The three of them immediately ceased their snickering and looked down into their laps awkwardly. The immaturity of his siblings never failed to irritate Tommy. The fact that they had evidently picked up on the chemistry between him and Maddie made their childishness piss Tommy off more.

Mercifully, Maddie returned before too long, now clean, dry and seemingly keen to begin their meeting.

‘So, what’s so important that I needed to be in such a rush to get back down here then? I thought we already knew what the plan was?’ began Maddie, looking inquisitively around the room.

Indeed, Tommy and his family had already gone through the various plans to bring several pubs in Birmingham under control of the Peaky Blinders with Maddie’s help. The first of which will be carried out in a few days and Tommy was confident that Maddie was more than prepared. This particular meeting was to brief Maddie on her first combat instruction she would be giving the next day, something that they hadn’t covered in much detail up until that point. Maddie didn’t even know that they had scheduled it for the next day.

‘We are planning on starting your combat lessons tomorrow morning. Twenty men who are in desperate need of instruction are going to be in attendance,’ said Tommy, finally revealing the topic of the meeting to Maddie.

Maddie looked suddenly nervous, shifting her weight on her seat and glancing around at everyone anxiously. 

‘Really?’ she squeaked. Tommy was taken aback by her sudden display of anxiousness, even though he didn’t let it show on his face. Maddie was usually so confident and yet the thought of teaching some simple fighting skills seemed to have shook her.

‘I thought that would be easy for you?’ said John, noticing Maddie’s concerned expression, poking her playfully in the ribs. Maddie laughed nervously and nodded.  
‘I know but… well to be honest, I’m usually the one being taught this stuff with my training back home. I’ve never actually taught anything before. I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to show them.’

‘Well that’s what we’re here to discuss,’ said Tommy as he locked eyes with Maddie. ‘But there’s something else that’s bothering you.’

Tommy sensed that there was more to Maddie’s lack of confidence and he wanted to ensure that these training sessions went as smoothly as possible. She sighed again as she held eye contact with Tommy. He gave Maddie a small nod of encouragement as his brothers looked on slightly perplexed, obviously not having picked up on what Tommy had detected in Maddie’s voice.

‘Well, correct me if I’m wrong but as far as I’m aware, isn’t it usually frowned upon for a woman to fight and do violent stuff? Let alone be accepted as a teacher in that regard.’ She cast a sceptical look around the room, inviting a response from them.

Tommy admitted that this issue had already occurred to him but had concluded that under the command of the Peaky Blinders, the men would obey any instruction they had been given for fear of being cut. Even if that meant taking orders from a woman. Also, Tommy was certain they would soon learn to fear Maddie once she showed them what she could do.

‘Yes, that is usually the case. But our enterprise is a progressive one and we’ll make sure that your instruction is respected,’ responded Tommy evenly.  
Maddie scoffed loudly; her sceptical look remaining. She obviously wasn’t convinced.

‘Don’t worry Mads, we’ll be there to make sure they stay in line,’ winked Arthur in reassurance.

‘Yeah, and knowing you, you’ll have them cowering in fear in no time anyway,’ laughed John, giving Maddie a brotherly hug. Maddie laughed more confidently, seemingly more comfortable with the idea. On occasions like this, Tommy resented his cool and stern personality and wished he shared his brothers’ knack for putting Maddie at ease.

Tommy immediately launched into the topic of what he wanted Maddie to cover during her lessons. The men they had recruited were young; too young to have fought in the war and therefore were in dire need of some experience. He made it clear that he wanted these men to able to handle themselves in a brawl and defend themselves well enough so they wouldn’t be killed in droves. As long as these conditions were met, Tommy wasn’t bothered how Maddie went about it.

‘I suppose that should be simple enough,’ conceded Maddie after listening to Tommy’s list of expectations.

‘Good,’ replied Tommy. He stood to signal the meeting was over, everyone else following his lead. 

‘Oh, and Finn,’ called Tommy, looking over to his baby brother who looked back at him inquisitively. ‘I want you and Isiah to attend tomorrow as well. You could do with the extra instruction.’

Finn flushed bright red as John and Arthur pounced on him and began teasing him relentlessly as he struggled to fight them off.

‘What the fuck, Tom? I don’t need any lessons!’ Finn protested angrily.

‘Shut up Finn. You’ll go to Maddie’s class and do as your told,’ taunted John, slapping the back of Finn’s head harshly. 

‘Fuck off, John,’ mumbled Finn.

Maddie giggled as John and Arthur continued to bully Finn as brothers did, Tommy watched her face light up watching them and he finally smiled for the first time that day. She brought out a side of Tommy that was rarely seen and he found that he was enjoying how Maddie had an effortless ability to put him in a good mood. Even if he didn’t look like he was on the outside.

The rest of the Shelby family joined them for dinner that evening which led to another evening of camaraderie much like the first night Maddie spent at Arrow House. Maddie though had obviously learnt her lesson from the first night and was considerably more sensible with her alcohol. Tommy found himself watching Maddie for most of the night as he usually did; closely enough that he found himself counting her drinks again. Thankfully she had only had three glasses of beer and had turned down a fourth offered to her by Michael. Tommy also didn’t fail to notice Polly and Ada trying their best to get him to take notice of their warning glances, but he pointedly ignored them. 

As Tommy sat and watched Maddie over the course of the night, he found that he’d made his mind up. He wanted her. The knowledge that her time there was going to be limited, which should have deterred him, actually made him more determined to spend as much time with Maddie as he could before that day came. Of course, this also depended on Maddie. She had already made it clear to Tommy that she was interested in him, but at the same time believed that giving in to her desires wasn’t the best course of action. Despite his own desires, Tommy wasn’t the kind of man to disrespect the choices of a woman he respected.

This internal conflict ticked over in Tommy’s mind for much of the evening as he sat watching in silence at the edge of group. His gaze was perpetually drawn to Maddie as she enjoyed everyone else’s company. Maddie often looked back and held eye contact with him for several seconds before turning away again. Her unflinching confidence in meeting his eyes made the hairs on Tommy’s arms stand up on end and his breathing deepen with each glance. He felt certain that another encounter like the one they had a few evenings ago would happen again before too long, and Tommy felt that he was eager for it.

The evening came to a close after a couple of hours, various guests bidding their goodbyes and retiring to bed or to their drive home. Tommy approached Maddie as she was seeing Polly off at the front door.

‘Maddie,’ he called to her from behind. She turned to look at him momentarily before turning back to Polly. His aunt looked to him then to Maddie slowly in turn before saying goodnight to Maddie and stepping out the door.

Maddie turned back to face him as she shut the door, ‘Yes, Tommy?’

‘I need you ready for seven tomorrow.’

Maddie slowly quirked one eyebrow at him and nodded her head once, ‘Okay.’

They stood in silence alone in the entranceway, holding eye contact. Tommy decided this was the opportune moment he had been waiting for. He stepped closer to Maddie, as close as they had been a few days before, with only an inch between them. She didn’t take a step back and Tommy took this as a sign that Maddie wanted the same thing that he did. 

Then, catching Tommy off-guard yet again, Maddie put her hands softly on his chest and lifted herself on tiptoe to beat Tommy to the kiss. She pressed her lips firmly to his but not as forcefully as their previous kiss. Tommy heard himself let out a short gasp and cursed himself for letting her get the better of him again. Tommy did not expect this assertive and confident gesture, but that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He lifted his hand to cup Maddie’s face and let a few strands of her hair wrap around his fingers. They stayed in this position, moving their lips together softly for a few seconds before Maddie pulled back, creating only an inch of space between their faces and looked Tommy straight in the eye.

‘Two-one to me,’ she whispered, pulling her lips in to a small smirk. 

After the stress of an exhausting week of business and maintaining his unwavering stoicism, Tommy finally cracked and let out a low, honest to god chuckle. Maddie joined in his laughter as she took a full step back from Tommy and turned her body to walk away toward the stairs.

‘Goodnight, Tommy.’

***

Tommy stood in the foyer as he waited for Maddie to emerge. He checked his expensive pocket watch; thirteen minutes past seven. Tommy exhaled a slow breath through his nose impatiently. Tardiness was one of his biggest bug bears, and today of all days was the worst time to be late. Tommy was nervous about how the day was going to go, how well Maddie’s first day on the job would go and it took a lot of effort for him not to fidget whilst he waited. 

The sound of brisk footsteps perked Tommy’s ears. He turned to look up the stairs to see Maddie scurrying down the steps towards him, an apologetic expression on her face.

‘Sorry I’m late!’ she said as she made it to the bottom of the stairs. ‘I’m still not used to how much longer it takes for me to get ready in a morning without a shower.’  
Tommy hadn’t put much thought into this difference between his and Maddie’s time. He was tempted to tell her that his own personal bathroom had a shower, and that she was more than welcome to use it. But he decided that would trigger a bout of flirtatious gazing and quips that they couldn’t afford to waste time on. Instead, ignoring Maddie’s apology, Tommy turned quickly on his heel and marched toward the door without saying a word.

‘O-kay, I guess it’s straight to work then,’ said Maddie as she followed Tommy automatically.

Tommy wasted no time in speeding down the driveway and onto the road as soon as they had shut the car doors. They sat in silence for a good while whilst Tommy concentrated in the road. All the possible reasons as to how today could go wrong were playing in his mind as he simultaneously thought of the methods he would use to rectify these problems if they were to occur. Entranced on the road before him, Tommy could feel that he was gripping the steering wheel tighter than was necessary. He spotted his knuckles turning white and quickly slacked his grip slightly and took a deep breath. This didn’t go unnoticed by Maddie, and Tommy could feel her questioning gaze on him.

‘I didn’t expect you to be so nervous about today,’ she said quietly.

‘I’m not,’ replied Tommy a little too quickly, cursing himself for loosing composure. Maddie chuckled in a way that let Tommy know she had picked up on it.

The reason for Tommy’s agitation was his concern for Maddie, he realised. Not that he doubted her abilities, but his life and his business had a tendency to get people hurt, even killed. That thought was making Tommy sick to his stomach and part of him wished he had taken Maddie to London the day she arrived and spared her from his life. But that wasn’t in Tommy’s nature, he didn’t even think it was possible for him to do anything that didn’t benefit him or the company in some form. He knew that was his greatest flaw that he would take with him to the grave.

‘Where are we going anyway? I’d imagine its somewhere discreet?’ asked Maddie, graciously ignoring Tommy’s lapse in control.

‘Discreet but adequate,’ he replied. ‘But we have another stop to make first.’

‘Oh?’

Tommy had neglected telling Maddie this part of the plan, he had wanted to surprise her but also not give her anymore unnecessary reasons to be anxious about the day.

‘You’ll see,’ said Tommy.

After another thirty minutes of driving that was spent in silence, they eventually reached their destination. Tommy pulled up outside the shop and turned to see Maddie look up to read the sign, ‘Gentleman’s Taylor’.

‘You need me to pick you out a new suit or something?’ Maddie asked, evidently confused.

‘No.’

Maddie blinked, her brow furrowing, ‘Huh?’ was all she managed to say.

Tommy smirked, amused at how dumbfounded she was. He went to get out of the car, nodding for Maddie to follow him. As they entered the tailor, a man that was stood behind the counter writing on a piece of paper looked up to see who had entered.

‘Good morning, sir. What can I do-,’ the tailor cut off mid-sentence as Tommy and Maddie stepped further forward into the light of the shop floor. The man’s face dropped, and his skin turned drip white as he recognised who had just walked into his shop.

‘Mr Shelby. Wh-what an unexpected visit! What is it I can do for you?’ the tailor babbled quickly, avoiding Tommy’s gaze as most men did.

‘We’re here to finish the alterations on the suit that was requested under my name. My secretary sent you the measurements on Monday.’

As if only just noticing Maddie stood next to him the tailor bristled at the sight of her and turned back to Tommy looking disgruntled.

‘This is a gentleman’s establishment Mr Shelby. I must insist that your lady friend leave immediately,’ he said, attempting to sound more confident but his voice wavered with every word.

Tommy could sense Maddie stiffen beside him; he heard her knuckles crack as she balled her hands into fists. She also took a deep breath as if she was about to say something but must have thought better of it as she let out the breath shakily in an attempt to remain silent.

‘Is the suit ready as per the specifications?’ Tommy asked the tailor, ignoring his request. Wanting to move along before Maddie decided to launch herself at him.  
The man blinked, flitting his gaze back and forth between them before finally answering, ‘Yes Mr Shelby. Although I admit I am slightly confused. The measurements do not match the previous ones we have on record for you.’

‘The suit isn’t for me, it’s for her,’ Tommy tilted his head slightly in the direction of Maddie.

The tailor looked like he was about to collapse in shock, stuttering stupidly as he attempted to regain his composure under Tommy’s icy glare. Tommy saw Maddie turn quickly to look up at him out of the corner of his eye, also with a look of shock.

‘For me?’ she asked in a hushed whisper. Tommy ignored her and continued to stare down the tailor until the man finally plucked up the courage to speak.

‘This is quite inappropriate Mr Shelby! We do not cater for -.’

Tommy cleared his throat loudly to interrupt as he took his cigarette case out of his pocket, not breaking eye contact with the man.

‘Is there a problem?’ Tommy asked in a dangerously low tone before lighting his cigarette and taking the first drag.

The tailor faltered again, a visible sheen of sweat developing on his forehead. Men like this always disgusted Tommy and he wondered how half of them had even survived the war. He waited for the tailor to reply, not moving a muscle. Maddie however was shifting uncomfortably next to Tommy, looking back and forward between the two men as they stared.

After several seconds of silence the shopkeeper finally broke, looking down before shaking his head in defeat.

‘No Mr Shelby. My apologies,’ he stuttered, turning to Maddie. ‘If you could follow me this way.’ The tailor turned to walk towards a door labelled fitting room. Anger ignited within Tommy from the man’s neglect of manners towards Maddie, making his nostrils flare now that the man wasn’t facing him.

Maddie turned to look at Tommy, an unsure expression painted her features. Tommy gave her a nod and small smile of reassurance before addressing the tailor again.

‘I expect any adjustments for the suit to be finished whilst we are here. You will also address my friend as Miss Chapman if you don’t want you or your family to be cut.’ Tommy made a point of saying this last sentence as nonchalantly as possible. The tailor now betrayed a true look of fear as he looked back at Tommy. Maddie let out a small laugh, seemingly impressed with Tommy skills at intimidation.

‘Yes o-o-of course,’ he squeaked turning back to Maddie again. ‘Please Miss Chapman, if you could put this on in the dressing room here.’ He took a hanger with a grey suit and white shirt hanging on it and hung it on a peg inside the dressing room. Maddie, finally feeling more comfortable, strode confidently over to the dressing room. She cast the man a venomous glare before disappearing inside.

After a couple of minutes, the tailor knocked nervously on the door to the dressing room, asking if Maddie was ready. Tommy heard her call her permission for him to enter. The tailor went inside the dressing room and after another five minutes he opened the door again.

Maddie was now dressed in the full three-piece grey suit. She stepped out of the doorway, rolling her shoulders back and bending her arms in and out as she looked down at herself. Tommy was impressed with how well it suited her. Lizzie’s measurements had been accurate, and she had given specifications that meant the trousers fitted more closely to Maddie’s legs than they would have on a man. The suit jacket and vest also cut in at the waist as women’s garments did. This meant that Maddie didn’t look as though she was wearing something that had been designed for a man, despite that fact that it was a man’s style suit. The tailor had placed a hand full of pins at certain places where he needed to make the adjustments, and Tommy was pleased to know they wouldn’t have to wait long for the suit to be finished.

‘What do you think?’ asked Maddie, rotating around once for Tommy to see every angle, her cheeks blushing a light pink.

‘Good,’ he nodded his approval. He wanted to give Maddie a more flattering compliment but decided not to with the tailor watching them, probably beginning to wonder who this woman was that Tommy Shelby had requested a suit for.

After Maddie changed back into her own clothes the tailor excused himself to the back room to finish the suit whilst her and Tommy waited in the store front.  
‘Of all the things I’d imagine I’d do in the 1920’s; getting fitted for suit wasn’t one of them,’ she chuckled. 

‘You’re a Peaky Blinder now. You need to look the part.’ Tommy watched for Maddie’s reaction to his statement. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly in astonishment before she settled into a rueful smile.

‘Yeah I guess I am. The slayer, a member of the Peaky Blinders…’ she looked up to meet Tommy’s eyes. ‘This will be a first for the slayer history books that for sure.’

Tommy hummed his assent as he went back to looking out of the window. He knew Maddie’s moral compass must be suffering the more she became involved with his life. By all accounts a slayer’s duty was to protect against evil, to save lives, and Tommy’s life mostly involved the opposite. He felt the feeling of guilt, an emotion he rarely allowed to cross his mind, stir inside him again. It wasn’t fair to be dragging Maddie too far into this, he knew. But as always, the logical, business led aspect of his mind won against the merciful, considerate side.

‘Your ability to make men cower with your presence is legendary back home. That really was something watching you make that guy sweat first-hand,’ Maddie spoke up, breaking the silence. Tommy was glad to hear that his imposing image would be something that will be remembered and talked about in a hundred years.  
‘The war changed me. Although I don’t always think it was for the better.’ Tommy didn’t intend for these words to escape his lips, but he had found that he had grown to trust Maddie over the past few days and sharing this information felt right. This was something that Tommy wouldn’t even share with his family, he knew they wouldn’t understand, but he was certain Maddie did.

‘I get that,’ she said, reassuring Tommy’s thoughts. ‘I don’t even remember who I was before I was a slayer.’

Their eyes met again, and Tommy noticed a sadness in Maddie’s eyes. He felt compelled to pull her into his arms in that moment, to indulge in a moment of comfort in recognition of their shared experience. Tommy had started to reach his arms out to embrace her when the tailor reappeared from the back room. The two of them looked over with irritation to the man as he emerged, carrying the now finished suit encased in a leather cover.

‘It’s finished Mr Shelby. With our compliments.’ The tailor bowed his head as he handed over the suit to Tommy who took it and hung it over his arm.

‘I expect another three suits in different fabrics to be ready for collection by Wednesday next week,’ Tommy ordered. The tailor looked as though he was about to protest but stopped himself as Tommy glared at him.

Without another word Tommy turned to exit the shop, Maddie following his lead behind him. They got back in the car, Tommy handing the suit to Maddie who laid it on her lap. 

‘Four suits?’ she questioned now they were in the privacy of the car.

‘You can’t work for me and be seen in the same suit for one day to the next.’

Tommy wasted no time in driving them to Small Heath and to one of the factories the Shelby Company owned. Maddie looked surprised by the chosen location and Tommy informed her it would provide ample privacy with the noise from the factory machines. He led her down into the basement and to the office where his brothers and Isiah were already waiting. They enthusiastically welcomed Maddie as they walked in and immediately pestered her to go put the suit on so they could see.

‘So, you all knew about this?’ Maddie laughed as she pointed to the suit in her hands.

‘Yes, and it was bloody hard keeping it a secret!’ laughed Finn.

John directed Maddie to the restroom, and she left to go change as the men started to fidget impatiently as they waited. Tommy lit up a cigarette and leant back against the wall.

‘Is everything ready Arthur?’ asked Tommy, looking over to his older brother.

‘Yeah. All the men are waiting down the hall.’

Tommy nodded and turned to Finn and Isiah, ‘I’m expecting you two to set an example.’

Finn and Isiah shared a look before begrudgingly nodding. They waited in silence for a few minutes before they heard Maddie’s heels clopping up the corridor towards them. Tommy remained still as everyone else in the room stood up straight, excited to see Maddie’s new look.

Maddie emerged in the doorway in her new suit. She smiled bashfully as they all cheered and wolf whistled.

‘Very nice!’ shouted John, clapping the loudest out of everyone.

‘Thanks,’ smiled Maddie looking down at herself. Luckily her heeled boots matched the suit and the whole look proved to be an impressive statement. Which was exactly what Tommy was aiming for. Maddie however started fidgeting with the vest, lifting the front to tuck her shirt in more.

‘I’ve never actually worn a suit before,’ she admitted. ‘Are you sure it looks alright?’ The group nodded enthusiastically in response. 

‘You look like one of us now Mads,’ said Arthur, giving her a cheeky wink, Maddie beaming widely.

‘Almost,’ said Tommy stepping forward. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the cap he had been keeping in there all morning. He handed Maddie the matching grey cap and she regarded it with raised eyebrows. She ran her finger along the rim of the cap, discovering the hidden razor blades.

‘Complete with razors and everything!’ she said enthusiastically, and a little sarcastically as she turned the cap over in her hands.

‘Well put it on then!’ teased John. 

Laughing defeatedly, Maddie pulled the cap onto her head. She really did look like part of the gang and in that moment, Tommy knew she was going to make a statement out in the field and in the training room. The room was speechless for a minute and Maddie shuffled nervously, looking unsure as to whether they approved of the outfit with the cap included.

Looking around the room, a mischievous look came across Maddie’s face. She glanced briefly at Tommy before adopting a wide masculine stance, putting her hands in her pockets and puffed out her chest, widening her shoulders. Everyone looked at her bewildered until she cleared her throat gruffly and Tommy realised what she was doing.

‘You all have work to be doing. I’m the big scary boss around here and everyone should do as I say!’ Maddie said, deepening her voice as low at it would go, exaggerating her Birmingham accent. She took one of her hands out of her pocket and pointed her finger around the room in an exaggerated and aggressive gesture. It was a surprisingly good impression of Tommy and the room erupted into laughter. Tommy tried his best to look indifferent but couldn’t hold in his chuckle as he watched her.

‘She really has captured you Tom!’ shouted John as Maddie joined in the laughter.

Tommy gave Maddie a few claps before moving the topic on quickly. As much fun as they were having, there was business to be getting on with.

‘Alright. Fun’s over.’

He looked over to the men, indicating for them to go on ahead before turning to Maddie.

‘You ready?’ he asked. She looked back at him confidently and nodded.

‘As I’ll ever be,’ she whispered, exhaling a breath and puffing her cheeks.

Tommy noticed that she hadn’t done up the top button of her shirt and brought his hands up to do fasten it. He looked into her eyes and gave her a small encouraging smile.

‘Come on.’ He placed a hand on the small of her back and led her out of the room and down the hall to where Maddie’s students were waiting.

As they entered the large room, they were met by the faces of twenty men in their twenties, some of whom looked down nervously as Tommy entered. An occurrence that Tommy was used to. He went and stood in front of the men with Maddie by his side and glared around the room at them. Finn and Isiah were stood at the front of the group with their heads high, setting a good example as Tommy expected. He regarded the rest of the group with a critical eye, sizing them all up individually.

The longer they stood there, Tommy noticed the men one by one spot Maddie and glace around questioningly. One man looked down his nose at her disapprovingly and Tommy focussed mainly on him as he began to address his audience.

‘You are all here because, even though you are all working now for us, you all need some instruction.’ He paused momentarily to assess any reactions from the room. The man he noticed before was still staring at Maddie venomously. Tommy continued.

‘You are all to follow the guidance that your instructor gives you; the direction of the woman stood next to me.’

The reaction was immediate. The men began murmuring amongst themselves, most of them angry or laughing dismissively. Maddie impressed Tommy yet again, from the corner of his eye he saw her remain still, not displaying any signs of intimidation or fear. Tommy’s eyes were locked on the man who had been glaring at Maddie from the start. His face curled up into a scowl and he folded his arms over his chest.

‘You’ve got to be fucking joking,’ the man leered loudly, eliciting hushed chuckles from a number of the other men around the room. Maddie turned her attention to him as he spoke, lifting her head up to look at him. ‘What does a little girl have to teach us about fighting?’

Tommy sighed, he had predicted that this would happen and had already thought about how to beat any cocky recruits into order. However, it turned out that Tommy didn’t need to worry about supporting Maddie in this regard. As Tommy inhaled in preparation to confront the troublemaker, Maddie stepped forward to stand in front of the man. He was at least a good foot taller than her, so she had to crane her head back to look him in the eye. The man looked over both his shoulders to the men behind him, smirking arrogantly to them as she came to a stop a foot in front of him.

‘Hit me,’ ordered Maddie, a hint of a smile on her voice. The man scoffed and looked around him again smirking as the rest of the room laughed. All except Tommy, his brothers and Isiah; who Tommy knew were all trying their best not to smile knowingly, already guessing as to what was about to happen. Tommy noticed a flicker of doubt flit across the man’s eyes as he stared Maddie down.

‘I said hit me!’ Maddie said louder when it was clear the man wasn’t going to move or reply. The man lifted his palms up in a ‘well, if she insists’ gesture. Then he quickly drew his shoulder up and his fist back before throwing a heavy punch at Maddie’s head. If Tommy had blinked then, he would have missed what happened next.

Maddie stepped to the left, dodging the fist easily. Simultaneously she grasped the man’s right forearm with her left hand and placed her right hand on the back of his head. She bent his right arm behind his back and upwards whilst pushing his head downwards, and in one smooth motion flipped the man over in a forward somersault. He hit the ground on his back with a loud thud and a pained grunt. Tommy could have sworn her heard a bone crack as he impacted the concrete floor.

All the men, excluding Finn and Isiah who sniggered loudly, recoiled a step whilst their jaws dropped open stupidly. Maddie smiled as the man groaned in agony on the floor. Tommy turned and nodded to John who marched over to the floored man and lifted him by his collar to his feet before punching him in the gut once. John straightened the man up again and slapped him twice on the face; the man quickly looked down at his feet as John returned to his position next to Arthur.

Maddie tuned back to the group before asking, ‘Anybody else have any issues they want to share before we start?’

The men shook their heads hastily, avoiding the gazes of both Maddie and Tommy.

‘In that case I’ll be leaving you all in Maddie’s capable hands,’ Tommy said, emphasising the work capable. ‘And if reports of any more insubordination reach my ears there will be severe consequences.’

Tommy locked eyes with Maddie before he turned to leave, giving her a message of encouragement in his gaze. As he turned Maddie started addressing her class with confidence, explaining what she was going to teach them over the next few days. Tommy stopped next to John and Arthur on his way past them.

‘Make sure they stay in line. Have Finn and Isiah drive Maddie home and the two of you report back to me.’ They nodded and Tommy left the room as he heard Maddie bring Finn forward as a volunteer for her first demonstration.

Tommy went to the office on Watery Lane to address the hundred other items of business and meetings he had scheduled for the day. All the while he wondered how Maddie was getting on and hoped the new recruits weren’t giving her too much grief. But he reassured himself that Maddie was more than fine after her display of dominance form the offset. He smiled to himself has he bent over a mountain of paperwork as he recalled the humiliated expression on the arrogant man’s face. Tommy had realised as he got in his car that he had been clenching his fists behind his back as the man had been insulting her.

Later that afternoon, John and Arthur waltzed into Tommy’s office laughing together and looking encouragingly pleased with how the morning went.

‘Well?’ Tommy inquired, leaning back in his chair as his brothers poured themselves a drink.

‘She was amazing Tom,’ said Arthur, taking a swig of his whiskey. ‘Mads was in her element, I swear.’

‘You should have seen their faces Tommy. The more moves she showed them, the wider their mouths got!’ laughed John as they flopped into the chairs opposite Tommy’s desk.

‘Mmm. Anyone else start any trouble?’ Tommy replied.

‘No. They were all shitting themselves too much,’ smirked John.

Tommy was more than happy with this success. Maddie had finally had a chance to prove herself and had exceeded all of their expectations tenfold. New ideas were being generated in Tommy’s mind of how he could involve Maddie in the business further. If only she was planning on staying here with them permanently. No only that, but every time he thought about Maddie now it made the feeling of joy blossom in Tommy’s chest and make his heart beat a little faster. Tommy wanted to make Maddie fully a part of his life, and in more ways than just business, he realised.


	7. Kids and Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out! It was a challenging one to write so I hope you all enjoy it :)

Maddie dangled her head off the seat of the sofa as she lay on it, with her legs going up and over the back, swinging her feet in mid-air absentmindedly. She puffed her cheeks out as she sighed and stared at the ceiling of one of the many miscellaneous rooms that filled Arrow House. Maddie listened to the torrential rain that assaulted the window as she tried to think up of something to do to alleviate her crushing boredom.

The past four days had gone by in a blur as Maddie had thrown herself into her fighting classes with gusto, chuffed with being provided an outlet to expend some energy and keep her mind occupied. She had been the proudest she’d ever been of herself when she finished her first class. Despite the cheek from one of the students on the first day, she had discovered that she had a talent for teaching and more importantly she had enjoyed it immensely.

However, today Maddie had the day off and had been left behind at Arrow House yet again as she had been in the days leading up to her first day of teaching. During those few days she had expended all her options for keeping herself entertained. Because of that, and with the storm lashing relentlessly outside, Maddie was now confined to the house for hours on end. Being in a time with no television or internet turned out to be a great challenge. Maddie had even tried to read a few books but the only ones she could find were the stuffy, dull kind with lots of long dreary words that took pages for the story to even go anywhere. She had quickly given up on them and attempted to fill her time with anything else more stimulating. The feeling that Maddie had gotten on her first full day in 1925, the feeling of being wound up like a spring that can’t be released had returned with a vengeance. 

Maddie had tried to imagine exploring the grand, winding hallways of Arrow House as if it were her first time. Maddie remembered how on that first expedition, she had explored the house with a childlike sense of adventure and curiosity. She had opened every door and cupboard in her pursuit of discovery and war against boredom. Every door except the ones that lead to Tommy’s office and bedroom, which were kept locked when he wasn’t home. Maddie had also explored all the grounds numerous times. The outdoors had become her favourite place to kill time; she found she could easily spend hours hiking through the woods and lawns repeatedly without growing tired of it. 

Maddie had explored the house the day after the morning she and Tommy had kissed in the kitchen. An hour hadn’t gone by that day that Maddie hadn’t thought about that kiss, and of Tommy in general. When she pictured the moment in her head it was like the memory became four dimensional; Tommy’s hands grasping at her hips, and his lips whispering against the skin of her neck as if it were tangibly happening again. It gave Maddie goose bumps on her arms every time, and she found herself getting excited at the thought of seeing Tommy when he got home. But that evening he hadn’t returned. Maddie was disappointed but confessed that it was probably for the best.

‘Are you losing the plot or what?’ Maddie had said to herself in the mirror that evening. She had argued with herself to the point of insanity about Tommy. Maddie admitted that she was captivated by him, if that was even the right word. If he had been any guy that she’d met back home, she would have fucked him at the first available opportunity. But he was Thomas Shelby, not some regular guy, and that made things infinitely more complicated. Maddie realised that it had been a while since she had had sex, and that just made her body betray her even more. Maybe these feelings are just because I’m horny? Maybe, sleeping with him whilst I’m here won’t be that bad? Maddie thought this over a hundred times but kept coming back to the conclusion that it wouldn’t be just simple, hot, no-strings-attached sex. She already knew she felt more for Tommy than just lust, no matter how forcefully she tried to convince herself otherwise. So, when it would be time for her to go home, the fact that she would be leaving him behind would just cause her pain she could do without.

So, when Tommy hadn’t come home a couple of nights that week and Maddie only laid her eyes on him a couple of times, she had hoped it would help dampen her need for him. She had even mentioned this to him, but it soon became clear that his non-presence only made the matter worse. Maddie found herself pulled into his gaze, like her eyes were made of iron that were being moved by his magnetising stare. Yet again she found herself gazing back at him and flirting unashamedly as if on autopilot whenever they were close.

Maddie giggled like a schoolgirl when she remembered their third kiss as she continued to lie on the sofa. She had given in again to her desires and in that moment realised something. She didn’t care if she shouldn’t be shacking up to Tommy. She wanted to. So, over the past few days she had decided she would let whatever may happen, happen. Although the darker, more mischievous side of Maddie had tempted her to draw out the chase for as long as possible to wind Tommy up and drive him mad for her. Maddie knew Tommy was just as desperate for her as she was for him, any idiot could see that.

Polly was quick and sharp to pick up on the change in dynamic between her and Tommy. Well, I’m sure telling Polly that you had kissed and nearly slept with Tommy was as good a clue as any, Maddie thought to herself, rolling her eyes. Maddie couldn’t lie and say that she had put no thought or weight into Polly’s reading of her tea leaves. Especially when everything she found out was true, and Maddie wanted to believe the suggestion that something more profound was forming between her and Tommy.

Maddie huffed and groaned, drawing out the whining note for several seconds before declaring, ‘This is fucking bull-shit!’. She was out of her mind with boredom, something needed to be done. Maddie put her hands on the floor and did a backwards handstand off the sofa to come back to standing. She meandered out into the vastness of the house, hoping that somehow something exciting would spring out of nowhere, like it typically did back home. Maddie never considered that she would miss the perpetual danger and spontaneity of her regular life. She realised then just how much she missed her friends. The friends who she had been through thick and thin with, and felt more like family. Without even realising, Maddie’s eyes had started to well up and tears threatened to tumble out of her eyes for the first time since she arrived in 1925. She blinked rapidly and covered her eyes with her hands. 

‘Get a grip, slayer!’ Maddie whispered to herself angrily as she continued to stroll aimlessly down one of the upstairs corridors. You’ll get back home Mads, she thought to herself, just hopefully before you die of idleness.

Just then Maddie heard frantic voices from around the corner and a second later Frances and one of the maids rounded the corner heading in Maddie’s direction. Frances had a scowl on her face that could scorch a glacier, talking at the poor maid who looked particularly distressed.

‘If we don’t get these duties finished before the master gets home, there will be hell to pay for all of us!’ Frances hissed frantically. That doesn’t sound too good, thought Maddie. Maddie smiled suddenly, realising that she could possibly be of use.

‘Is there something you need help with?’ called Maddie as Frances and the maid approached her. Frances looked up startled, only just realising that Maddie had been walking towards them. Her features set into a rigid mask and her lips pursed into a thin line. She looked Maddie up and down once before answering.

‘I don’t think that will be necessary.’

Maddie rolled her eyes and sighed, ‘Well you sound pretty stressed with your work. Whatever it is you need to get done I’m sure I’m more than capable to help.’ She cast her eyes back and forth between Frances and the maid, the latter of which was wringing her hands nervously as she noticed Frances bristle at Maddie’s rude reply.

‘We are short of staff today and various duties need completing around the house before Mr Shelby returns. As much as the help is needed however, I don’t think Mr Shelby would appreciate us putting his trusted guest to work with his staff. Not that I think you would be of much use either way,’ Frances rambled flatly, the insult to Maddie probably being as close as the old bat could get to slapping her in the face without getting into trouble. Hang on, did she say ‘trusted’?

‘Well if I’m so ‘trusted’ by Tommy, surely I can be of some use?’ Maddie retorted. Frances regarded her for a moment before a flicker of an idea flashed across her beady eyes and she smiled.

‘Actually, there may be a use for you,’ she said before addressing the maid. ‘Lucy, you start the polishing without me. You miss, follow me.’ Frances glanced to Maddie and indicated for her to follow and began to march her towards the stairs as Lucy hurried away in the opposite direction.

What the hell has this woman got planned for me? Maddie hoped that Frances wasn’t going to give her a job that involved getting smelly. That would hardly be an attractive site for Tommy and would no doubt earn a lot of teasing from the rest of the Blinders. 

As it turned out, Maddie would have taken that job over the one that Frances actually had in store for her. They entered one of the smaller sitting rooms downstairs which, on first glance appeared empty, but Maddie then spotted a maid knelt on the floor with little Charlie sat next to her gurgling and giggling away. Maddie’s eyes widened as she realised what Frances wanted her to do.

Maddie, despite wanting to avoid the child whilst she was staying there, had been formally introduced to Tommy’s son by Esme on one of the evenings Tommy hadn’t come home. In fact, Maddie had also been introduced to all of John’s kids on that same night and she remembered thinking that she had been the most uncomfortable and out of her element she had ever been surrounded by so many small people. Esme had plonked Charlie on Maddie’s lap before she could protest and the toddler had immediately started pulling her hair and laughing, which Maddie admitted to herself was rather cute. Esme had evidently seen that Maddie was unsure of what to do and had soon taken Charlie up to bed, much to Maddie’s relief. Esme had a natural way with children that Maddie envied, she would tell them all off in Romani and seemed to be able to herd them like sheep. Maddie had conceded that night that she wouldn’t be able to get away with avoiding Charlie for the full duration of her stay, but she hadn’t betted on being left to babysit him. Maddie took in a breath to say something in protest, but Frances had already begun speaking.

‘Harriet. Miss Chapman will watch Charlie for a while. We need you to help with the duties around the house.’ Harriet nodded and began to stand up as Maddie interjected.

‘Oh, no really I have no experience with-,’ Maddie stammered hurriedly but was cut off by Frances’ shrill voice.

‘I’m sure Mr Shelby would be more than happy for you to watch Charlie for a few hours. It really would be a great help.’

Maddie felt her mouth hang open gormlessly as she was left speechless. Frances looked over to Harriet who was looking at the two of them, unsure of what to do. Frances jerked her head in the direction of the door in an instruction for Harriet to follow her. Frances’ face looked infuriatingly smug as they left the room quickly. Before Maddie could collect her wits well enough to stop them, she was left in the room alone with Charlie.

‘Fuck!’ Maddie hissed, wincing when she remembered Charlie was a few feet away from her. She looked over to him, he was looking up at her perplexed at the sudden change of faces in the room but soon began picking up and throwing down his small wooden toys with fervour. 

‘I guess it’s me and you then pipsqueak,’ Maddie sighed, deciding that refusing to do her job would just succeed in pissing Tommy off, not just at her but at the staff too. ‘It’s just a toddler, Mads, stop being such a wimp,’ she muttered and rolled her eyes to herself as she went and sat down on the floor next to Charlie.

He immediately smiled and began waving his toys around in an attempt to get Maddie to play with him. She inspected the wooden toys and picked up a miniature horse. The memory of Tommy offering to teach Maddie how to ride popped into her mind, she realised that they hadn’t talked about it since that day and she hoped Tommy hadn’t forgotten about it. She made a mental note to ask him about it if he made an appearance that evening.

Maddie had sat with Charlie for an hour and had gradually begun to feel more at ease with him, thinking that she had mastered the whole responsible adult role before Charlie began to shuffle and grumble, his face creasing up in distress. Oh shit, now what? Maddie looked up at the clock on the mantel piece, it was mid-afternoon, and she wondered whether Charlie had been fed. As the thought of food entered her mind, Maddie’s stomach started to grumble.

‘You hungry eh squirt?’ Maddie cooed to Charlie who now began to ball up his fists and cry in earnest. ‘No, no! D-don’t cry!’

Panicking, Maddie picked up Charlie and balanced him on her hip as she headed towards the kitchens. She looked around desperately for a cook or maid as Charlie wailed in her arms. Why is there never anyone around when you need them? Maddie cursed in her mind when she finally found a maid working in the corner of the kitchen. The maid turned as she heard the sound of Charlie crying.

‘There doesn’t happen to be any food about does there?’ Maddie asked her pleadingly. The maid looked amused as she turned and presented a plate with a mixture of foods on it and a cup of milk.

‘I was just about to bring Master Charlie his lunch, miss,’ smiled the maid. Maddie breathed a sigh of relief. She sat Charlie on her lap at the table as the maid placed the plate in front of her. ‘Would you like anything miss?’

‘Yes please!’ Maddie replied excitedly. Charlie had already started helping himself to the food on the plate as the maid walked away. He had stopped crying and was happily shovelling bites into his mouth.

‘You like food too I see?’ jested Maddie. ‘Slow down though or you’ll make yourself sick.’

Maddie realised she was beginning to enjoy looking after Charlie, but that feeling was followed by the bitter reminder that life as a mother would never be an option for her. If she were to have a child, the likelihood that she would be killed and leave them without a mother was almost certain in her line of work, and she refused to let that happen. One of the previous slayers, Nikki, had a child before she was killed, leaving her son Robin without a mum and a boatload of mommy issues to boot. Maddie felt the tears threatening her eyes again and she cursed this place for stirring so many emotions in her that she usually had under control. She felt conflicted. On the one hand this adventure was unique and invigorating, despite the odd days of boredom, and she was enjoying the Shelby’s company and the work she was doing for them so far. But on the other hand, Maddie didn’t welcome the confusing thoughts and emotions. Emotions mostly about Tommy; but also there were the reminders of what kind of life she could never have, which made her desperately want to return to the one she did.

Maddie reassured herself that she would be able to go home soon and to just bloody enjoy herself. She was the luckiest person ever to get to travel in time for god’s sake! It was no good spending it all broody and sulky.

After their lunch, Maddie watched Charlie for another couple of hours in the sitting room as the sky began to darken. The storm had calmed so that there was only a light drizzle filling the air outside. As the clock approached six Maddie spotted headlights of what she assumed was Tommy’s car heading up the driveway. Maddie jumped up with Charlie in her arms and pointed out of the window.

‘Look Charlie, your dad’s home!’ Charlie smiled and chuckled, excited to see his father. Maddie however had the sudden realisation that Tommy would probably question why Maddie was minding Charlie. Maybe even be angry, she had only known them for less than two weeks after all which was a short amount of time to trust someone with your infant son.

Maddie went out into the hallway with Charlie on her hip to see if Harriet or Frances were close by. She started down the corridor towards the foyer when she heard Frances greet Tommy into the house and take his hat and coat as she usually did, stopping in the middle of the corridor.

‘Is Maddie in the house, Frances?’ Maddie heard Tommy ask in his low, gravelly voice. There was a pause and Maddie assumed Frances had just then remembered where Maddie was.

‘She’s erm… with Master Charles in the small sitting room, sir. I do apologise she asked if she could help- ,’ Frances’ voice stopped abruptly and Maddie heard footsteps heading in her direction. She quickly and silently retreated to the sitting room, pulling the door to so it was left ajar and quickly sat down on the floor, reuniting Charlie with his toys.

A few seconds later, the door flung open and Tommy stood in the doorway. He looked slightly concerned but quickly relaxed when he saw his son was playing contently with his toys. Maddie looked up at him and gave him an unsure smile, hoping that Tommy wasn’t angry.

‘I see you’ve added Nanny to your list of duties around the house, eh?’ Tommy asked, quirking an eyebrow up. Maddie laughed awkwardly and nodded.

‘So, it seems.’

Not saying a word in response, Tommy walked over to the sofa, taking out a cigarette from his silver case and putting it between his lips before sitting down. Charlie stood up on his little chubby legs and toddled over to his father, grabbing him around the shin in an adorable display of affection.

‘Papa!’ he called up to Tommy, reaching up for Tommy to pick him up.

‘Hello Charlie boy!’ said Tommy. He lifted Charlie off the floor and held him above his head. Tommy smiled as Charlie giggled and squealed loudly. Maddie’s heart warmed to see Tommy freely showing adoration and love to his son; it was nice to know that the man was indeed human. After a minute of fussing his son, Tommy put Charlie down and told him to carry on playing, turning back to Maddie.

‘I thought you weren’t one for kids,’ said Tommy taking a drag of his cigarette, meeting Maddie’s eyes coldly. Maddie blinked in surprise. How the hell did he know that? She faltered in replying, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Tommy obviously sensed Maddie’s bewilderment and explained, ‘Esme told me that you don’t seem to have a woman’s way with children.’

‘Oh.’ Maddie finally managed to say, feeling a little stupid. ‘No, I don’t really but me and Charlie have done alright today I reckon.’ Maddie tried her best to sound confident but found that she was fidgeting with the awkwardness of the conversation. Tommy scrutinised her, looking puzzled by her behaviour.

‘Mmm,’ he grumbled. ‘You have no children of your own? It’s unusual for a woman to be without a child at your age.’

Maddie did not expect that question, she could sense that Tommy must have been a little suspicious of her spending time with his only child without his knowledge, prompting the stern questioning. However, his eyes looked at her in a way like he hoped that she would say she didn’t. Nevertheless, the presumptuousness of the question made Maddie’s heckles rise.

‘Not in 2020 it isn’t,’ she replied, matching the cool tone of his voice. ‘And no, I don’t. Being a slayer and motherhood doesn’t really mix well.’ 

Tommy paused to take in what she had said and simply nodded in response, but his expression softened on hearing the bitterness in Maddie’s voice. He leaned back into the sofa and looked up at the ceiling as he smoked his cigarette. Maddie sensed the stress in Tommy as they sat in silence for a few minutes. She assumed his day had not gone well and he was still preoccupied with business. Eventually Maddie got up and settled next to him on the sofa, recalling the thought she had had earlier.

‘I was wondering whether we’ll get chance to take me out riding before we go to London?’ Maddie probed cautiously yet teasingly, nudging Tommy lightly with her elbow. Tommy tilted his head towards her to meet her eyes, his usual almost smile hinting at the corner of his lips. He cleared his throat as he looked away and across the room.

‘I’ll find time.’

Maddie smiled widely, sitting up straighter and turning he body towards Tommy, ‘Oh good. I was worried you’d changed your mind.’ She could feel herself blushing like a teenager as she spoke, ducking her eyes down in a sudden display of shyness. Tommy didn’t fail to notice, and Maddie felt his finger under her chin, lifting her head back up to look at him.

‘I didn’t forget.’ He held Maddie’s eyes for a few seconds before turning to look down at Charlie who made an excited noise as he continued to play on the floor. ‘I want you to know here Charlie is at all times when you’re in the house.’

The abrupt change of topic took Maddie off guard and made her furrow her brow at Tommy in confusion. She had enjoyed her time looking after Charlie that day, but she wasn’t keen on becoming his permanent carer. More importantly, why did Tommy suddenly want her to be involved with his son?

Tommy looked back at Maddie and seeing her expression, offered an explanation, ‘I’m in business with dangerous people Maddie. People who have threatened Charlie’s life if I don’t play my part, which is why I only have trusted staff care for him when I’m out. Seeing you with him this evening, having someone like you watching out for him would put me more at ease. At least whilst you’re here.’ Maddie felt her eyebrows reach for her hairline. She knew Charlie wasn’t killed as a child; he was still alive in 2020 come to think of it. He was destined to live to a ripe old age, so the thought that someone wanted to hurt Charlie when he was a baby came as a shock to Maddie. 

Now it was Tommy’s turn to furrow his brow at Maddie in response to her reaction, ‘What is it?’ he asked sternly, his suspicious tone returning. 

Fuck, he thinks I know something, thought Maddie. She took a deep breath as she decided whether to tell Tommy what she did know. Him knowing that his son would live might cause him to drop his guard and end up changing that outcome, which Maddie, and no doubt Tommy would blame her for. However, Maddie was certain Tommy would be able to tell if she was lying, compromising the trust that they had fostered between them up to now. Also leading to the same result. Not to mention the pressure of keeping a watchful eye over Charlie over the next week or so was more responsibility that Maddie was expecting. But she had learnt that the truth was always the best course of action with Tommy.

‘Charlie is alive in the future, Tommy. He grows to be an old man and he’d make you proud.’ Maddie smiled reassuringly but Tommy’s face remained neutral, although his eyes flickered slightly at the information. ‘But we can’t let our guard down. If you are in as much trouble as I think you are, then that future may still change,’ she continued. ‘So. I’ll keep my eye on him. I’ll be his guardian angel I guess.’

Tommy let out a low chuckle and Maddie laughed along, the atmosphere returning to the more relaxed one that she was used to. Tommy cleared his throat again before standing and removing his suit jacket. He turned back to Maddie as he began to roll his sleeves up.

‘Well your priorities tonight will be on business. Go and get changed, Arthur will be here soon. We’re taking the last of Italian pubs tonight.’  
***  
Maddie furiously tucked her shirt into her suit trousers as she tried to keep a steady head. Tommy had brought the pub takeover forward and hadn’t even provided Maddie with an explanation as to why; he just ordered her again to get ready and retreated to his office after passing over Charlie to Harriet. What could have happened that they needed to move this business to tonight?

Maddie found she still struggled putting on her suits, they were so far away from what she usually wore that they were still a mystery to her. When she was finally dressed, she admired herself in the mirror. Despite the faff to put the bloody thing on, Maddie admitted she looked like a bad-ass gangster in her very own sharp three-piece suit. She remembered putting it on for the first time and she felt a sense of belonging and acceptance that she had never experienced before. The Shelby’s had treated her like another sister and Maddie knew she was going to miss this feeling once she got back home.

‘Maddie!’

Maddie could hear the booming voice of Arthur from her room, he must have just walked through the front door she realised. Maddie appraised herself one last time before running out of her bedroom and down the hall to the balcony that looked over the foyer.

‘Ay-up Arthur!’ she called, spotting Arthur who was talking in hushed tones to Tommy near the entranceway. The two of them looked up at Maddie on the balcony when they heard her.

‘Mads, get down here now! We’re running late!’ he called back, pointing up at her jestingly. Maddie nodded and smiled before vaulting over the balcony rail and dropping down and landing gracefully, except for a loud thud onto the wooden floor of the foyer, just a few feet away from Tommy and Arthur. The pair raised their eyebrows impressed before Arthur chuckled.

‘Y’ know you could have just used the stairs,’ said Arthur with a cheeky smile in his eyes as Maddie went to join them.

‘But that’s boring Arthur. And I never miss an opportunity to show off,’ Maddie winked at him and he chuckled again. She looked over to Tommy who wasn’t as amused as Arthur was by Maddie’s antics. Maddie had noticed that there hadn’t been the usual sense of sexual tension between the two of them that evening and was sure that the topic of taking the pubs was the reason why.

Tommy turned back to Arthur and began speaking to him in Romani. Even though Maddie couldn’t understand what he was saying, she knew that it was about something bad as his words were clipped and strained. Maddie bounced her eyes between the two of them like a tennis ball before Tommy finally stopped speaking.

‘Hello!? Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on? Why are we taking the pubs tonight?’ she asked briskly, her muscles beginning to tense with the anticipation of a tough night that was almost certain to happen at this point. Tommy turned to her and swallowed, his jaw muscles flexing.

‘Arthur will fill you in on the way. Arthur go and get the car started,’ he ordered without looking at his brother. Maddie saw Arthur nod before turning to leave as she kept her eyes on Tommy’s. ‘Watch your back out there tonight, alright?’ Tommy brought his hand to Maddie’s cheek and stared intently into her eyes, pleading silently to her.

‘I always watch my back Tommy,’ she replied, trying to sound light-hearted. In truth her chest felt increasingly tight with worry. Maddie had never seen Tommy this stressed and she knew that it must be something fairly serious for him to act this way. ‘You don’t need to worry about me.’

Tommy shook his head as he exhaled through his nose in a long breath. ‘Just follow John and Arthur’s lead and stick to what they tell you to do. There’s a lot riding on tonight, Maddie.’

Maddie opened her mouth to question him, but as the sound of a car horn sounded from outside, Tommy dropped his hand from Maddie’s face and tilted his head in the direction of the door, ‘Go on, go.’ He turned away from Maddie and started towards his office before she could make a sound.

Maddie faltered for a split second, watching the back of Tommy’s head walk away from her before hurrying out of the door, muttering expletives under her breath. What the fuck was that all about? She wondered this as she got into the car beside Arthur who immediately started to speed down the driveway towards the road.

Maddie turned to stare inquisitively at Arthur, expecting an explanation to the unexpected rush and panic that had entered her evening. When he didn’t say anything, Maddie decided she needed to probe him to get her answers.

‘Arthur, what’s happened today to get you and Tommy in such a state!?’

Arthur stared at the road as he replied, ‘Some of the Italians who were supposed to have cleared out of Birmingham are still hanging about down in three of their old pubs in Nechells. We received word today that some of the Naples boys will be coming down to help defend what little territory the wops have left.’ He paused to let Maddie take in this information before continuing. ‘The plan was to take one of the pubs which should have made them clear from the rest on their own; but now we’re taking all three pubs tonight.’

After a short, stunned silence Maddie snorted loudly. Was that it? Maddie was expecting Armageddon with the way Arthur and Tommy had been acting. Part of her suspected that they were hiding something from her. Arthur looked over to her puzzled by her reaction.

‘Sorry,’ Maddie apologised. ‘I was just expecting something a bit more…big and scary.’

‘This won’t be easy Mads. There’s going to be more men than we were expecting, and they’ll be armed.’ Arthur reached into his jacket and withdrew his pistol, handing it over to Maddie. ‘Take this but only use it if you need to.’

Maddie looked down at the gun before putting it in her gun holster that had since been empty, but Tommy had insisted she wore. She should have known that something hadn’t gone to plan. Still Maddie couldn’t help but feel a little underwhelmed. She was sure that was due to the fact that she was used to such cataclysmic scales of danger that their current problem in comparison seemed trivial. However, the more she thought about it, the more Maddie realised that this was going to be more dangerous that she initially realised. Sure, she was used to fighting large battles against seemingly poor odds, but those were with her usual weapons. Swords, axes and stakes, not guns. As fast and agile as she was, she wasn’t faster than a bullet, and a bullet could kill her easily if it hit the right place. Maddie swallowed, her saliva feeling gross and sticky in her mouth.

‘I think Tommy’s worried that somthin’ll happen to ya tonight. He told me to make sure that you’ll be alright. That’s what he was saying to me earlier,’ said Arthur quietly.

‘Really?’ Maddie sighed and rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but feel her heart skip at the fact that Tommy cared enough about her to worry that much. ‘He can’t be that worried if he’s still sending me out here with you. You’re not worried are you Arthur?’ Maddie jested, but Arthur didn’t reply and kept his focus on the road. Maddie gulped and felt her heart rate begin to quicken. She began to mentally prepare herself for the night ahead, it sounded like she was going to need it.

After driving the rest of the way at speed and in silence, Arthur spoke up, ‘We’re nearly there Mads.’

They drove through the dark streets of Birmingham that were lined with several factories. Maddie watched the fires inside flicker, sparks flying around in the darkness that illuminated the soot covered faces of the workers inside. Arthur turned them off down another similar street before turning again into a smaller alleyway, parking the car in its shadows. Maddie spotted John in the blackness ahead as her eyes adjusted. He was stood with Isiah and at least fifteen other Blinders. Some she recognised from her fighting classes.

Arthur and Maddie joined the group who greeted them both quietly and stern faced. Maddie was so used to John and Isiah greeting her cheerfully and with life that it made Maddie more on edge at their stoicism. They reminded her of Tommy, and she realised that she was glad that they were usually so unlike him.

‘Right,’ Arthur began. ‘There’s three teams. John you’ll take the Queen’s Head with a few of the boys. Skudboat and Isiah, you do the same and take the Chester Arms. Maddie, you and I will lead the rest to take the The Swan. Remember these pubs are to take, not to destroy. Avoid guns unless they’re needed. Drive out the Italians into the streets. Everybody got that?’ Arthur questioned, scanning the group’s faces. Everyone nodded their understanding, including Maddie. She bit her lip nervously as Arthur ordered the group to fall out. Maddie was used to being the one in charge of a plan, not one of the soldiers. It was unfamiliar territory for her. But she couldn’t let her trepidation let herself or the Shelby’s down.

‘Hey,’ whispered John as he stepped up beside her. ‘Stay focussed an you’ll be alright eh?’

Maddie let out a weak laugh, her fear must have been obvious for John to pick up on it. ‘I know. Thanks John.’

‘Take this,’ he said, pulling out a small knife from his pocket, one that was meant for strapping to the calf. ‘For close encounters.’

‘Wow, I keep being handed weapons today. You must all think me unprepared.’

‘Nah,’ John shrugged. ‘Just unfamiliar with what we really do. Stick close to Arthur, I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no time.’ He squeezed Maddie’s shoulder in a reassuring gesture, his usual softness and cheekiness returning momentarily. John was beginning to feel like a jolly big brother to Maddie, even though he was only a couple of years older than her. 

The gang parted into three squads when they reached a crossroads ahead of them, Maddie waved and mouthed good luck to John and Isiah as they separated. Maddie fell into pace with her team and let the darkness and the noises of the city at night engulf her and prepare her for what was about to come. This feeling of walking into battle wasn’t unlike the feeling she had back home, and Maddie felt a burst of confidence erupt inside her. As they approached The Swan, Maddie picked her head up high and kept it there as Arthur lead them into the pub.

The silence that fell on the pub as they entered was so eerie that if Maddie shut her eyes, she would have been convinced she were in a graveyard. The patrons of the pub looked up at the crowd who had just walked in and evidently recognised them immediately. Most froze to the spot in fear whilst others slowly began to rise from their chairs. Maddie quickly counted the people in the room, twelve all together. She also spotted two doors, excluding the one they walked in through. One behind the bar the other to rear right hand side of the room; it was more than likely that there were other men beyond those doors.

‘Is nobody going to offer us a drink?’ shouted Arthur, breaking the tense silence, making half the men in the room jump. No-one spoke, so Arthur helped himself to a bottle of whiskey on the table next to him as the gang began to spread out around the pub, Maddie following suit. She settled to stand near a man who was glaring them all down, his fists clenched ready to fight. The man noticed Maddie after a few seconds and snorted loudly.

‘The Blinders now have women working for them!’ jeered the man, eliciting laughter from the rest of the room. This wasn’t the first time Maddie had been underestimated or laughed at since being in 1924, and she felt a rush of anger inside her. She was getting incredibly sick of men looking down their noses at her, even if she was now planning on punching this man’s nose into his skull. Maddie remained silent as she watched some more of the men in the pub rise threateningly from their chairs. Evidently bolstered by their friend’s confident arrogance. 

Maddie looked over to Arthur for instruction. He and the rest of the Blinders were poised for the fight that was ready to break out at any second. Maddie felt sweat start to bead on her skin under her clothes, her breath whooshed in her ears and her heart felt like it was kicking her rib cage. She had never been in a bar fight before, not even with demons or vamps. This should be fun, Maddie thought to herself as Arthur gave her a silent signalling nod.

Maddie sucked in a sharp breath before punching the arrogant man in the jaw. She had made effort to dampen her punch as she was fighting humans, but she still put enough force into it that she felt the man’s jaw crack. There was also enough force to send the man flying back onto the table. Everyone in the room moved at once. Several of the more scared looking men fled the pub leaving seven to fight. The Blinders all moved with speed and experience, engaging with the men that stayed to fight.

Two men approached Maddie and threw themselves at her. She engaged them both easily, parrying their punches whilst landing hers with laughable ease. One of them grabbed a bottle from the bar after staggering back from one of Maddie’s jabs, smashing it, shards of glass raining down onto the floor around them. The man lunged at Maddie and she deflected the hand with the bottle with her foot, kicking the makeshift weapon from his hand as she dealt an uppercut to the other man’s gut who had also foolishly tried to attack her again. The man who had the bottle stumbled to one knee and Maddie kneed him in the face causing him to fly backwards and land on his back on the broken glass, now unconscious. Her other attacker was also on the floor, clutching his stomach in agony.

Maddie reassessed the room and saw that a couple of the men were still causing trouble. One man on the other side of a large table to Maddie had one of the Blinders cornered, brandishing a knife and ready to slash. Thinking fast Maddie kicked the table between her and the man. It skidded nearly six feet across the floor and collided with him, causing him to fall and drop the knife. The Blinder he cornered kicked him in the head and retrieved the knife for himself, nodding his thanks to Maddie.

Just then, more men burst into the pub through the back doors as Maddie predicted. She spun round and began another round of brawling. These men brandishing iron bars and wooden boards as weapons. Maddie started to get into the flow of dodging, punching, kicking and throwing the new attackers and found that she was starting to enjoy herself. She even found opportunity to use her new knife to slice strategic cuts into her attacker’s arms and hands so that they’d drop their weapons. Maddie found herself surrounded by four of them at one point and a couple of them managed to get a couple of hits on her that were hard enough to leave a mark. One large man caught Maddie’s cheek with a nail on the board he was using, the rusted metal glancing off her skin as she dodged it narrowly. Maddie kicked that man particularly hard in the balls for that.

The fight seemed to be under the Blinder’s control, the experience and skill of Maddie and the Blinders was more than enough to subdue the Italian men. Then Maddie heard Arthur scream from across the room.

‘Maddie! Behind you!’

Maddie spun to see another foe in the doorway behind the bar, the barrel of a revolver pointed straight at her. Thank god for her slayer speed, she thought as she instantaneously veered out of the line of shot of the weapon just as the man fired it. Maddie heard the bullet hit the wall behind her and she ducked down as she heard one of the Blinders shoot back at the man, soon followed by the tell-tale thud of the man’s body hitting the floor.

More men burst into the pub from the rear door and began to open fire inside. In the sudden racket Maddie crouched down to avoid the gunfire, more glass shattered and sprayed across the pub as multiple bullets hit the various bottles, glasses and mirrors around the room. As she covered her head with her hands, Maddie lost her focus on the other men already in the bar and she felt the harsh impact of a foot colliding with her shoulder. She fell forward, automatically throwing her hands out to catch herself. Her hands met the glass covered floor and slid a few inches as she caught her weight. Maddie felt the small splinters of glass bury themselves into the flesh her palms, sending shooting pains up her arms as she let out a yelp. Despite being floored and decorated with glass, Maddie quickly rolled onto her back and kicked the man who was now descending on her in the chest with both legs and with full force. He flew across the room and hit the wall before collapsing to the floor completely still.

Maddie could vaguely hear the sound of Arthur calling her name from behind an overturned table across the room, but it was hard to tell with the continuing gunfire from both sides. Maddie daren’t look at her hands, they felt like they were on fire. She pulled her gun from her holster as she stayed on the floor, shielded by the bar. Trying her best to ignore the pain in her hands she contemplated that she was probably going to have to kill after all. Even though Tommy had said she wouldn’t have to. The man she just kicked was more than likely dead anyway. Maddie clenched her eyes shut and groaned.

‘Shit!’ she yelled.

In that moment, Arthur and a couple of the other Blinders came out from behind the table as the enemy were reloading and began to open fire over the bar above Maddie. She leapt to her feet and joined in pointing her own gun in the same direction. However, Maddie was lucky yet again. Arthur and the others had managed to take out all the assailants before she even fired a shot. Silence descended over the pub again as they all caught their breaths and their wits.

Maddie went over to the man she kicked and saw that he wasn’t breathing. Fuck… He may not have been innocent, but Maddie didn’t like killing humans all the same. If only she hadn’t lost her cool when he kicked her over. She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath through her nose to calm herself.

‘Hey, Mads, you alright eh?’ called Arthur as he approached her, his feet crunching over the carpet of broken glass. Maddie then became acutely aware of the pain in her hands and put the gun she still had in her hand down on the table. She winced as she attempted to put her hands behind her back to hide them from Arthur, which worked horribly. He saw the pained expression on her face as he came and stood before her.

‘You hurt?’

Maddie grimaced and nodded in defeat, ‘I was fucking stupid. Let my fucking guard down when they started shooting.’ She brought her hands from behind her back and held them palms up in front of her. She forced herself to look down to finally assess the damage and let out an annoyed moan at the sight before her. Her palms and fingers looked completely mangled; Maddie could see the glint of several dozen glass shards buried in the flesh. The sleeves of Maddie’s shirt and jacket were saturated with her blood which was still dripping from her open wounds.

‘Fuck…’ muttered Arthur. He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped one of Maddie’s hands with it to stop the bleeding before snatching another handkerchief from one of the boys who’d come over to look at Maddie’s hands and bandaged the other one. ‘Tommy’s not going to like this.’

‘It’s not that bad Arthur. They’ll heal sooner than you’d think,’ said Maddie. Yes, her hands looked atrocious, but they weren’t the worst wounds Maddie had ever had.

‘Arthur! You lot still alive in there!?’ John called as he and the rest of the men walked in, looking relatively unscathed compared to them. ‘Fucking ell’. Looks like you lot got the worst of it.’ He spotted Maddie stood with her hands wrapped in already red, bloody handkerchiefs and gave a look of disdain.

‘What the fuck happened to you?’ he said as he walked over.

Maddie sighed as she held her hands up near her head, ‘Hands, floor, glass,’ she said with a huff.

‘I’m gonna call Tommy, let him know it’s done,’ said Arthur who headed to the phone behind the bar that was miraculously still intact.

John revealed that the other two squads had taken the other pubs easily, encountering no resistance. He figured that they spotted them coming and focussed their attention on The Swan as it was the best located and largest pub in the area. Maddie was just glad that it was over. Glad to be one step closer to going home after the night’s nightmare.

Arthur soon returned from his phone call looking rather disgruntled. ‘He wants us back at the house.’

Arthur and John hastily barked some orders to Isiah, Skudboat and the rest of the men before leading the way out back into the night and towards the car. When they reached the car, Maddie climbed into the back seat and lay down, resting her injured hands on her chest. As Arthur began to drive them away from Birmingham, Maddie felt fatigue spread through her aching muscles. She looked up and out the window above her head at the smoke and soot that billowed into the dark blue of the night sky as she felt her eyes begin to close.

***

Maddie felt a hand on her leg shake her awake. She dragged her eyelids open to see John’s blurry face looking down at her from the front passenger seat as he continued to gently coax her into the land of the conscious.

‘Wake up, Mads. We’re back,’ he grinned as Maddie groaned and slowly sat herself up. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her throbbing hands as John got out of the car, watching him pace over to Arthur who was stood in the doorway talking to Tommy. Tommy’s face was unusually tense as they spoke, and he eventually looked over to Maddie as she watched them through the car window.

Maddie looked away and down at her gory hands still wrapped in handkerchiefs and sighed, ‘Urg, fuck.’ She hoped that she could get away with getting past Tommy and sorting out her injured hands alone, but it was highly likely Arthur had already told him about them. Sighing again, Maddie opened the card door and sloped out like a sulking child, attempting to keep her hands by her sides inconspicuously, which was a lot harder than it looked. She walked over to the three brothers, keeping her chin up to make out that nothing had gone awry. 

Tommy was still talking to Arthur and John as Maddie reached them. ‘Good work, boys. Now get yourselves home to your wives,’ he said sternly before turning to face Maddie. John and Arthur gave each other a look before turning away, wishing Maddie goodnight as they retreated and got back in the car.

Maddie bit her lip awkwardly as she looked up to meet Tommy’s eyes. They cut into her like ice picks making her shiver, or maybe that was just the cold night air.

‘Well… I suppose I’d better get to bed…’ Maddie began in a weak attempt to dodge Tommy. She went to walk past him, but he held out his arm to stop her. She closed her eyes and grimaced. Tommy put his hands on Maddie’s shoulders, turning her to face him again and ran his hands down her arms to lift her hands up in front of her.

He exhaled aggressively as his eyes fell on the ugly sight before him. The makeshift bandages had been on too long, the bleeding had stopped but the cloth had begun to dry and stick to her flesh. Maddie looked up to see Tommy’s jaw clenching and flexing wildly as he continued to blow air in and out of his nose so that he could keep his expression neutral.

‘How?’ Tommy finally manged say as he looked up into Maddie’s eyes intensely.

‘I…’ stuttered Maddie before giving an irritated sigh. ‘I lost concentration. Some guy kicked me to the floor and I got a load of glass buried into my hands.’ She rolled her eyes, more than fed up of thinking about her apparent horrific injury.

‘And this?’ Tommy asked, lifting his hand momentarily to brush the cut on Maddie’s cheek with his thumb. The one inflicted by the nail which she had completely forgotten about.

‘Just a scratch from a nail,’ whispered Maddie as she watched Tommy’s cool eyes survey her body for more injuries. She admitted she liked how much concern he was showing for her well-being. Not that she needed it of course. Maddie had frequently walked home with vamp bites, stab wounds, burns, you name it. She was often left to tend to her wounds alone as they were hardly new or shocking to her friends. It was a welcome change to have someone show tender concern for her.

Tommy turned his attention back to her hands, saying nothing, and slowly began to peel the now red material from one of her hands. The dried parts of the cloth had almost fused to Maddie’s skin and flesh causing her skin to pull and move as he peeled the handkerchief back to reveal what was underneath. Maddie hissed and winced with the sudden pain that stabbed through her palm. Even in the dim light of the doorway that illuminated them, the sight was gag worthy. The bleeding had stopped but there were still many shards of glass, big and small, nestled in Maddie’s hand. They were mixed with dirt and dried blood that caked the whole area resulting in a sight that would make the most experienced doctor avert his eyes.

‘Fuck!’ exclaimed Tommy, finally loosing his calm exterior. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes as Maddie watched him, unsure of what to say.

‘It’s alright I’ll go and-,’ she finally said, but Tommy interrupted her.

‘You won’t get that glass out on your own. Come on.’

Tommy put his hand on the small of Maddie’s back as he ushered her inside and lead her in the direction of the stairs. Maddie paused as they passed a mirror and finally got a look at her reflection and gasped. Fuck me, she thought. She looked worse than she’d realised. Her suit was stained with patches of dried blood, her sleeves completely crimson. The material of her jacket and trousers was frayed and torn, probably from being snagged by the glass shards on the pub floor. The cut on her cheek must have bled for a while without Maddie noticing because her cheek had a layer of dried blood also, although the wound was already scabbed over. Her hair, as usual was ruffled and dirty but proved to complete the dragged-through-a-thorn-bush-backwards look.

Maddie looked at herself in shock, did she usually look like this after a fight? She admitted that she avoided mirrors in these situations back home; she didn’t need a mirror to show her what she already imagined she looked like.

‘Worse than you expected?’ questioned Tommy as he watched her appraise herself in the mirror.

‘Just a bit,’ mumbled Maddie. ‘But honestly Tommy, it doesn’t feel as bad as it looks,’ she quickly reassured him. She was telling the truth, apart from her hands she wasn’t in any pain and after her little nap in the car, she didn’t even feel that tired.

Tommy ignored her attempt at reassurance and continued to nudge her towards the stairs. Tommy lead Maddie up the stairs and instead of turning towards her room he led her towards his own. She looked questioningly up at Tommy, but he ignored her as he opened the door to his bedroom and invited her inside. What’s he taking me in there for? It’s hardly the right time to get me into his bed, thought Maddie. Although she wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea.

The room was lit with warm soft light from a couple of stylish lamps on either side of the room. It was easily one of the largest rooms in the house that Maddie had seen and was probably the most lavish. The bed was enormous, dressed in what looked like expensive silk sheets and pillows. The carpet felt more like a duvet under Maddie’s feet; she remembered she still had her shoes on and stopped to quickly step out of them so as not to tread dirt into it. Tommy marched through a narrow passage that lead to another room as Maddie followed. He switched on the light and Maddie found herself in a large bathroom that was almost as big as the adjoining bedroom. It was the nicest bathroom Maddie had ever set foot in. It was considerably nicer than the one she had down the hall, and infinitely nicer than her one back home. It didn’t take her long to notice the bath tucked in a little alcove with hot and cold taps at one end. Not a second later did she notice a raised platform along the opposite wall with a copper piped shower head protruding from the tiles.

‘Is that a shower!?’ Maddie exclaimed before she could stop herself.

Tommy turned to her and let the beginning of a smile creep into his face, ‘Yes.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me you had one? I’ve been dying for shower since the day I got here!’

‘Well now you know, eh.’ He took a hold of Maddie’s shoulders again, squeezing them affectionately. 

Maddie met his eyes and instantly became entranced by them as she had done so many times. Tommy leaned in and planted a soft kiss to Maddie’s lips, drawing a shuddering breath from her. She felt the bastard smile against her lips as he pulled back. Damn him! Now we’re even again, cursed Maddie. Tommy kept his lips close to hers for a second and she attempted to crane her neck forward to make their lips connect again but he moved his head back, matching her movement, maintaining an agonisingly small gap between them. In frustration, Maddie attempted to grab his collar, forgetting about her hands and recoiled in pain as she brushed them against his vest.

‘Let’s get your jacket off and your hands dressed before they get infected,’ whispered Tommy. He undid Maddie’s jacket and began to pull it back over he shoulders for her as she stood statue like, feeling suddenly nervous about Tommy undressing her like this. She let the jacket drop to the floor and Tommy stepped back and gestured his hand to a stool a couple of feet away.

‘Sit.’

Maddie guffawed at Tommy’s authoritative tone but went and sat on the stool as he ordered. Tommy paced around the bathroom, collecting various items. He started to fill a basin with hot water in the sink as he placed a small table in front of where Maddie was sat watching him with amusement. She continued to watch as Tommy placed a bottle of rubbing alcohol, clean rags and towels, tweezers and a needle and thread on the table. When the basin was full Tommy put it on the table with the other items and sat down opposite Maddie. He held his hands out over the table between them in a silent order for her to give him her hands.

Sighing defeatedly, Maddie presented her ruined hands to Tommy and he immediately began his task without a word. He unbuttoned the cuffs of Maddie’s shirt and rolled the sleeves up her forearms. Some glass had also dug into Maddie’s wrists and she considered herself lucky that none of them caught an artery. Tommy lowered her hands into the warm water; there was an initial sensation of stinging followed by a pleasant soothing sensation. Maddie watched as the larger chunks of dirt washed away as she wiggled her fingers under the water. Some of the wounds started to reopen and fresh blood began to stain the water red. Meanwhile, Tommy soaked one of the rags in rubbing alcohol in preparation for the next step which Maddie knew was coming. Tommy gently lifted one hand from the safety of the warm water, holding it gently in one of his with the soaking rag in the other.

‘This is going to hurt,’ he said. 

Before Maddie could give a snappy reply to say that she knew it was going to hurt, Tommy placed the alcohol rag on her hand. Despite her best efforts, Maddie hissed and gasped at the searing pain that flashed through her. She clenched her teeth, clamping her eyes shut as her body tensed, but she refused to scream. She didn’t scream when she once got stabbed in the gut and had to stich the wound herself, so she certainly wasn’t going to do it now. As she adjusted to the pain, Maddie forced her body to relax and she opened her eyes to see Tommy watching her intently but with a definite edge of concern.

After leaving the rag on for a couple of minutes, Tommy removed it and picked up the tweezers and began to meticulously remove the many shards of glass that had made a home in Maddie’s hands. Most of the shards hurt less than Maddie expected when he pulled them out, but as he dug for the deeper ones Maddie had to bite her lip so she wouldn’t make a noise. Once all the shards were removed, Tommy began to sew the larger gashes and cuts together with the needle and thread. Maddie took time to admire his features as he concentrated wholly on his task. Tommy’s lips were set together in a soft line and his eyes barely blinked as he focussed on passing the needle through Maddie’s skin with expert precision. He was bent over the table as he worked so his head was close hers. She noticed the grey hairs that mottled his head and caught the smell of whiskey and cigarettes that was his usual perfume. If it wasn’t for the fact that both her hands were injured, Maddie would have used her other hand to feel and caress the short hairs on his head and trace the lines of his sharp cheekbones and jaw. Why does he have to be so goddamn handsome?

Maddie could feel the familiar heady heat of arousal stir inside her as it often did after a fight. She felt herself beginning to pant and cursed herself inwardly, telling herself to get a grip just as Tommy looked up from his work. He had done a surprisingly good job of patching her up, her hand now looking significantly more hand shaped. Tommy wiped her hand again with the alcohol before wrapping a proper bandage around it as some of the cuts were still bleeding.

‘One down,’ he muttered as he drew her other hand from the now dark red water of the basin. He repeated the same process with Maddie’s other hand as she continued to watch him whilst fighting off her growing horniness. Why did she have to battle with herself so much? Maddie began to fidget on her stool, and she feared that Tommy would notice that she was becoming flustered, if he hadn’t already.

She wasn’t sure if it was the latent excitement from the bar fight, her sudden raunchiness, or both but Maddie felt her mouth opening to ask a question that occurred to her in that moment, ‘I didn’t expect this from you Tommy. What’s changed?’

Tommy sighed and looked up briefly to look at Maddie. ‘I don’t know,’ he replied before looking back down again. Maddie nodded to herself, she couldn’t tell if he was lying to avoid the question or if he genuinely didn’t know. But considering that she also didn’t fully understand what was going on between them she felt inclined to believe him.

After finally finishing his handiwork, Tommy stood and began clearing the mess away in silence. Maddie looked over yearningly at the shower that she so desperately wanted to get under, letting the scorching hot water wash away the rest of the dirt and sweat from her skin; but that wouldn’t be possible with her hands now wrapped in bandages. Her clothes suddenly felt rough and sticky, she need to get out of them soon before she went mad. She would have to settle for a bath, but she didn’t fancy getting into the copper one in her own bathroom.

‘Can I use your bath?’ she asked as Tommy finished up his tidying. He turned to her and nodded.

‘Of course.’

The low vibrato of his voice made Maddie shudder and she swallowed down her sinful thoughts as she went over to the bath. She managed to turn on the taps with her mummified hands, their function already returning. Maddie was confident that she’d be able to take the bandages off by morning. She turned back to face Tommy as the bath began to fill. Maddie was tempted to ask him to join her, but her nerves got the better of her.

‘I’ll leave you to it,’ said Tommy, beating Maddie to her words. 

He went up to Maddie, leaving only an inch between their chests and put his finger under her chin to get her to look up at him as he did earlier that evening. Another kiss? Maddie thought this might be the luckiest night of her life. But Tommy didn’t kiss her. He looked into her eyes for a few seconds, caressing her face with the back of his fingers before withdrawing and leaving the room, a disappointed Maddie watching him as he strode out.

‘Fucking bastard,’ she muttered to herself, chuckling before removing her ruined clothes and climbing into the steamy inviting water of Tommy’s bath.


	8. Riding on Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is here! Starting to get a bit more raunchy in this one so I hope you all appreciate it. I'm really enjoying writing this story and I'm planning on getting chapter 9 done by the end of next week. Enjoy!

Tommy sat on the edge of his bed as he stared at the door that separated him from his bathroom where Maddie was bathing. He rested his head on his hands, his chin nestled on his thumbs as he fought the temptation to go inside. Tommy had initially gone downstairs to his office to his whiskey and paperwork hoping to keep himself sufficiently distracted, but to no avail. He instead had done nothing but pace around his office for ten minutes, going back and forth from his whiskey decanter and his chair.

Tommy battled with a myriad of thoughts and emotions as he paced around. Primarily anger regarding Maddie’s injuries; anger which was directed at three different people. Arthur, for not ensuring her safety despite Tommy’s clear instructions to him before they left. Himself, for bringing Maddie into his life and into the family business in the first place. And he was mad at Maddie herself, for getting blindsided so easily despite being the best, most experienced fighter there and despite Tommy’s warning before she left the house. Tommy hoped despite this anger that he hadn’t been too cold with Maddie when his brothers bought her home, he remembered sensing the chill in his own voice when he spoke to her and was sure she had sensed it as well. Tommy knew that being angry at Maddie was unwarranted and his emotions around her soon shifted to concern. If what Maddie said about her slayer healing abilities were true, she would be healed in a couple days, if that. But Tommy was finding it hard to believe that she wouldn’t suffer any permanent damage to her hands.

As he paced, Tommy focussed his anger towards himself. Arthur had said over the phone that Maddie had been forced to kill the man who caused her injury, even if it was in the panic of the moment and wasn’t intentional. Tommy clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides as he remembered telling Maddie that she wouldn’t have to kill for them. Fuck! Tommy had to breathe deeply with his eyes closed to calm himself. Why am I mad about this? I have people kill for me all the time, he thought to himself. But Tommy couldn’t help feeling responsible for what happened. He knew Maddie must be upset about killing a human, she had said many times that being a slayer meant being the authority amongst demons and monsters, but humans weren’t her jurisdiction. But what did he expect bringing Maddie into the Peaky Blinders? If he wanted to avoid something like this from happening, he should have taken Maddie to London the day he met her and spared her the moral storm he’d put her in. But still Tommy couldn’t bring himself to regret bringing Maddie on board. Not even after having her hands shredded almost beyond repair and putting her in a situation where she had to kill for self-defence. On the bright side, the business with the Italians was over and all-in-all had been resolved as well as it could have considering the circumstances.

Tommy brushed of his anger and instead became suspicious towards Maddie. The fact that she had tried to play down and hide her injuries made Tommy wonder whether she was hiding other more serious ones. Tommy’s stomach tightened at the thought that she could be concealing a bullet wound or more likely a stab wound. Tommy didn’t notice any obvious blood stains or holes in her clothing when he scanned her body as she got out of the car earlier that evening. Tommy tried to tell himself that he was being paranoid but couldn’t push it from his mind.

This led Tommy to return to his room with the intention to go into the bathroom and make sure Maddie wasn’t hiding anything. When he got there Maddie was still in the bathroom as he could hear water sloshing around on the other side of the door. He grasped the door handle, ready to open it but hesitated, suddenly recalling their kiss earlier. Tommy wanted to say his only motivation for barging in on Maddie as she sat in the bath was to get reassurance of her well-being, but he admitted that he also just wanted to touch her. He had been tempted to earlier but his concern for her hands and the pain she was in had stopped him from taking their kiss further, even if he did use the kiss as an opportunity to get his own back for the last one. He hadn’t taken advantage of her position then, so he shouldn’t now. So instead of barging in, Tommy sat on his bed and decided to wait for Maddie to emerge, despite changing his mind back and forth several times as he sat.

Fifteen minutes passed before Tommy finally heard movement from inside the bathroom. He remained seated on the bed, drawing slowly on his umpteenth cigarette of the night as he awaited the door to open. After another minute the bathroom door opened, and Maddie stepped out barefoot and wrapped in a towel. Tommy swallowed but remained still as he looked over at her, her hair was wet and shone as it stuck to her neck and shoulders and her fair skin was slightly pink and shiny from the heat of the water. Tommy felt a sudden urge to go over to Maddie, he wanted to feel her wet skin with his hands, not just to inspect her for injuries but to find out how soft her skin was.

Tommy sucked in a deep breath as Maddie shut the bathroom door behind her, clutching her ruined suit in a bundle in her other arm. She looked up quickly at Tommy, hearing his intake of breath which was loud in the quiet of the room. Maddie quirked an eyebrow at him and chuckled as she took him in, sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, looking at her.

‘Have you been sat there the whole time?’ asked Maddie, smirking as she took a couple of steps towards Tommy and into the light. Tommy straightened up but said nothing, taking the opportunity to appraise Maddie in the light, not yet noticing anything untoward. The bandages on her hands were surprisingly dry considering she’d spent the best part of an hour in the bath. More encouragingly there was no sign of bleeding from her wounds underneath. Tommy finally stood from his sitting position, turning to face Maddie with his hands in his pockets.

‘I was drinking in my office,’ he eventually replied. There was a couple of feet between them, but Tommy could feel the inviting heat from Maddie’s body making him want to close the last remaining space and feel that heat against him.

‘So, what changed?’ Maddie questioned.

‘I was concerned that it wasn’t just your hands that were hurt,’ Tommy cleared his throat as he put out his cigarette in the ashtray on the bedside table. ‘And I wanted to know that you’re not trying to hide another injury.’

Maddie was evidently taken aback by Tommy’s honesty and forwardness. She blinked and gave a huff of disbelief before shaking her head at him.

‘Seriously?’ Maddie said rhetorically. Tommy could tell she was annoyed, no doubt she was offended by his sudden uncharacteristic lack of trust in her and his belief that she would have come out of a simple bar fight with more than one serious injury. Tommy found he wasn’t sure how to respond in a way that would show Maddie that his concerns were because he cared for her wellbeing. That he cared for her more than he had yet to let himself believe. 

He met her eyes and attempted to convey a soft concern rather than suspicion of Maddie as she looked back at him, her eyes actively surveying his face for answers. After several seconds of silent gazing Maddie must have found her answer in Tommy’s eyes as she sighed and closed her eyes momentarily.

‘I’m fine Tommy, honestly,’ she said, giving him a genuine smile.

Tommy gave a nod but the suspicious side of him spoke up in his head again and wasn’t satisfied unless he saw it with his own eyes.

‘I’m not going to give you proof y’know,’ teased Maddie, as if reading his mind. ‘You’re going to have to trust me.’ Tommy was surprised at how fast Maddie seemed to have learned how to read him almost as well as Ada and Pol, and he wasn’t sure that he was comfortable with Maddie knowing his thoughts. However, Tommy was glad that her usual cockiness had returned and reflected her smile with one of his own.

Another silence fell between them before Maddie blinked and faltered awkwardly before laughing breathily, ‘I ought to go to bed. I’m pretty knackered.’ 

‘Alright. Goodnight,’ said Tommy. Maddie smiled again and turned to walk out. Once her back was facing him, Tommy spotted a large black bruise on her right shoulder.

‘Wait.’

Maddie stopped and turned inquisitively and somewhat hopefully to him. Tommy noticed the flirtatious grin she had as he approached her.

‘Turn around,’ he asked as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She turned so Tommy could see the bruise more clearly. It spanned the entirety of the right side of her back and Tommy could see the outline of a boot mottled into her previously pearly skin. He lightly ran his fingertips over the bruise, and he felt Maddie shiver slightly with the contact.

‘What is it?’

Did she not know she had the bruise? Tommy had to remind himself that Maddie must spend more time with bruises than without so that she probably hardly noticed when new ones appeared. He remembered the bruise she had on her face several days ago and how it had disappeared the next day. Tommy felt himself relax at the memory and could see that this new bruise was already beginning to yellow at the edges.

‘There’s a bruise on your back.’

Maddie’s shoulders relaxed and even though Tommy couldn’t see her face he was certain she was rolling her eyes.

‘It must have been when that bloke kicked me over,’ she said followed by a slight pause. ‘No big deal.’

Maddie’s head ducked down to look at the floor as she said this, and Tommy realised that she must have been remembering what she did to the man whose boot was imprinted onto her back. She started to walk away from Tommy to leave, her shoulders leaving his hands. Tommy played with the words he wanted to say on his tongue, two sides of him fighting to speak or stay silent but the better man in him managed to win.

‘Hey,’ he said, stepping forward and reaching out to Maddie to stop her again. He grasped her shoulders and spun her to face him. She looked down avoiding his gaze; Tommy could feel a sense of shame and regret emanating from her. Tommy knew how she felt, there were many things in his life that he regretted but the only difference was he didn’t allow shame to enter his mind. And he didn’t want Maddie to feel that way either. He put a finger under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his and Tommy said something he rarely said to anyone.

‘I’m sorry, Maddie.’ Maddie’s brow creased in confusion and Tommy brought his hands up to cup her face and caress her cheeks tenderly with his thumbs. ‘I’m sorry you had to kill a man tonight. I know I said you wouldn’t have to.’

Maddie’s eyes closed and she breathed deeply as Tommy watched her closely. Her eyelids twitched as she battled back tears before she huffed and opened her eyes again.

‘I didn’t have to kill him. I panicked and forgot I was fighting regular men. Now I have a human life on my head.’ Tommy let Maddie speak and realised this was the deepest moment they’d shared together since they met. He felt the stabbing sensation of guilt in his gut, it was easy for him to forget the impact of taking a life had on people when he had taken countless lives himself. Tommy didn’t want Maddie to be tainted by his life, but it seemed it was already too late. If he hadn’t involved Maddie in Italian business this wouldn’t have happened. But hindsight is a beautiful thing, admitted Tommy bitterly.

‘You don’t have to get involved in any more of that business. The boxing match is in a few days. We’ll go to London; you can find your way home and forget about us, about everything, eh?’

Maddie met his eyes as he said this, and he immediately saw the hurt in her face. Did she not want to leave? Tommy knew that Maddie had fit in well with his family and was enjoying her time here but at the same time he was sure she was keen to return home to her friends. Tommy swallowed and tensed his jaw, the idea of Maddie staying no longer an impossibility.

‘What? What is it?’ questioned Tommy, hoping Maddie would reaffirm his hopes.

‘I… I just… I guess I’ve just got used to living here, and you’ve all made me feel so welcome that I’m really going to miss this place when I leave,’ said Maddie, almost in a whisper. Her control had evidently reached its end as a tear spilled out and ran down her cheek. Tommy brushed it away with his thumb as he shook his head in an attempt to stop her tears. ‘I suppose part of me wants to stay,’ she smiled ruefully and gave a weak laugh, blinking away her tears as she blushed, embarrassed by her sudden display of weakness. Tommy’s heart almost leapt at the thought that Maddie might consider staying.

‘And the other part?’ he probed.

‘The slayer half of me is screaming at me to go home. Constantly. This era already has its slayer, but my home doesn’t. And god knows having more than one slayer in the mix never ends well,’ Maddie huffed and rolled her eyes. Tommy hadn’t realised how strong a slayer’s sense of responsibility was, enough to pull at Maddie incessantly until she was where she needed to be, he figured. Tommy was now learning that slayers were like two people, two lives smashed into one who’s desires rarely ever coincided. It must be an agonising thing to live with all the time.

‘So, what is keeping the Maddie side of you here?’. Tommy needed to know the real reason why part of Maddie wanted to stay. He hoped it would be for the same reason that he wanted her to stay, but he needed to hear it from her own mouth. She paused as she considered his question, biting her lip as the mischievous smile creeped back onto her face, her tears now ebbing.

Instead of an answer, Maddie lifted her bandaged hands up behind Tommy’s head, dropping the clothes she was still holding at their feet. She pulled his head down and brought her lips to his. Tommy didn’t let this kiss take him by surprise, he kept his hands on her face as they began to move their lips against each other. He knew he would never get tired of Maddie’s lips, soft and plump against his own. She stopped kissing him briefly, taking a breath before speaking.

‘Does that answer your question?’

Tommy didn’t even bother to answer, he reconnected his lips to hers eagerly, moving his lips with more force than before. As the kiss intensified, Tommy moved his hands down to hold Maddie’s waist, her breath feeling hot against his lips as their mouths broke apart momentarily a few times for air. He teased Maddie’s bottom lip with his tongue and nipped at it gently and she responded by opening her mouth to allow him inside. Her mouth felt hot and intoxicating, Tommy thought that he never wanted to let go of her as he gripped her waist harder, pulling her flush against him as she pulled equally as hard on his shoulders with her hands. 

Maddie’s hands. He pulled away suddenly and was met by Maddie’s confused face. He took her hands in his gently and indicated down to them, ‘Not with your hands like this.’

Maddie rolled her eyes, her frustration evident. Tommy was pleased to see that her cheeks were flushed, the pink colour stretching down to her chest above her towel, where Tommy’s gaze lingered.

‘You’re cruel, but fine,’ said Maddie, who took her turn in lifting Tommy’s head up by his chin to look her in the eyes. ‘But that means you don’t get to look.’ She grinned widely before gathering her towel more tightly around herself and gathering up her clothes again as Tommy smiled, glad to see Maddie’s usual humorous demeanour returning.

‘Night,’ Maddie smiled. ‘Thanks for patching me up and letting me use your bath.’

‘You’re welcome,’ Tommy replied, putting his hands in his pockets in his usual stance, mostly to discourage himself from changing his mind and pulling her back to him.

And with that Maddie turned away and left the room, leaving Tommy alone with his mind spinning. He was the reason she wanted to stay. God knows how someone as good and as just as Maddie would feel something for someone like him, but he was more than happy that she did nonetheless. Hope, a feeling the Tommy had not felt in a long time blossomed inside his chest. There was a possibility that Maddie might choose to stay. However, Tommy’s brain, the logical emotionless part of it, fought back and warned him not to dwell on hope. It usually led to pain.

***

Tommy’s schedule over the next few days that would lead up to the boxing match were filled with endless business meetings, lunches and conferences; so as usual, he was awake the next day as the sun began to rise. He got ready in a hurry as he wanted to check on Maddie before he left; to check her hands were healing but also just to see her after the previous evening left him unfulfilled and with a desperate need to see her face again. This was something he hadn’t felt for anyone since Grace, but instead of shunning these emotions as he had done before because they had usually caused him pain, he accepted them now that Maddie had made it clear she had feelings for him.

Tommy knocked on Maddie’s bedroom door. He knew it was likely very early for her and was expecting for her to open it half-asleep and grouchy; but unexpectedly there was no answer or sign of life at all. Tommy began to feel worry niggle at the pit of his stomach, he knocked again louder.

‘Maddie?’ he called as he knocked.

Still nothing. Paranoia got the better of him and Tommy cautiously opened the door. He stood in the doorway as he looked in to see that Maddie wasn’t there. In fact, her bed was already made, and the curtains were open. Did she go out to the cemetery again? Tommy hoped this wasn’t the case as he wasn’t sure he could contain his anger at her if she had.

‘Mr Shelby?’

Tommy turned to look down the corridor in the direction of the voice to see Frances approaching him. Before Tommy could ask anything, Frances spoke again.

‘If you’re looking for Maddie sir, she’s in the dining room. She said she’d wait for you to join her before eating breakfast.’

Tommy looked back into Maddie’s room then back at Frances, keeping his expression neutral.

‘How long has she been awake?’ he asked.

‘Only a couple of hours, I think. I’m not sure if you’re aware Mr Shelby but her hands were wrapped up like a mummy’s. I don’t know what she’s been up to,’ replied Frances snidely. Maddie’s suspicions it seemed were right in that Frances wasn’t keen on her. Tommy made a mental note to speak to Frances about her attitude later.

‘Yes, thank you Frances, I am aware.’

Tommy left Frances where she stood and made his way downstairs to the dining room. Maddie was sat in the spot next to Tommy’s at the head of the table. She was looking down at her hands which were bereft of bandages, prodding and picking at them with a bored look on her face. The bandages sat in a little pile on her lap. As she heard Tommy enter, she looked up and smiled at him.

‘Morning!’ she chirped.

‘Early start,’ Tommy stated, as he made his way across the room.

‘Couldn’t sleep,’ said Maddie sheepishly.

Tommy sat in his seat at the head of the table and without saying a word reached over and took Maddie’s closest hand in his. What the…? Her wounds were completely closed. In fact, they looked as though they had been healing for at least two weeks. Maddie had also removed the stitches Tommy had put in herself, they were obviously no longer required. Some of the smaller cuts were completely gone also. Unless you had seen the original injury, there would be no way to know the extent of the damage.

Tommy let out a noise of disbelief before he could stop himself, narrowly managing to keep his jaw from dropping open. Maddie laughed loudly at his reaction and withdrew her hand back.

‘I told you it was no big deal,’ she teased. ‘But my ravenous hunger right now, is a big deal.’

Right on Maddie’s cue, a maid came in and placed breakfast and tea in front of them both. With usual form, Maddie’s portion was more than double Tommy’s. Although he admitted he was a poor comparator with his often non-existent appetite.

‘Thank you!’ said Maddie to the maid before immediately tucking into her plate. 

They ate together in silence, Tommy only bothering with two mouthfuls of bacon and egg before picking up the newspaper which the maid had also left on the table and sipping at his tea. He made an effort to concentrate on the words on the paper but struggled as he battled with the shock of Maddie’s impressive healing abilities. Before Maddie had crashed, literally, into his life, Tommy had thought he’d seen everything that could surprise him, but Maddie had proved him wrong on more than one occasion. She really was an extraordinary woman.

As Tommy scanned his newspaper, not actually taking in any of the words he spotted Maddie out of the corner of his eye staring at his plate. He noticed her plate was picked clean and he lowered his newspaper to look at her inquisitively with his eyebrow raised. He could also feel his lips turning up slightly in a smirk as he already knew what she was going to ask.

‘You going to finish that?’ she asked shyly.

Tommy shook his head and turned back to his paper to start one of the articles he’d already read twice but hadn’t absorbed. Maddie took his plate and proceeded to finish his breakfast for him. 

‘Do you need me to come along today? I could do one last class for the men?’ asked Maddie hopefully. Tommy knew she had been bored stuck at Arrow House; however, he wasn’t keen on having her around the office. There were certain facets of the business he didn’t want her to know too much about. As for the fighting lessons, the men she had been teaching had all been assigned their jobs in the company since her lessons had been so successful. The threat from the Odd fellows on Charlie’s life came to the forefront of Tommy’s mind. He had already asked Maddie to watch over his son, and another idea came to his mind to keep Maddie occupied and make Charlie a little safer.

He had been surprised to see Maddie engaging with his son after what John and Esme told him. He admitted he initially panicked, the possibility of Maddie being a spy for the Odd Fellows invading his mind. But when he saw his son safe and sound under Maddie’s care, he realised that he was foolish to distrust her. In reality, having Maddie nearby to Charlie made Tommy feel considerably more at ease.

‘No,’ Tommy cleared his throat and lit a cigarette, abandoning his newspaper as a lost cause. ‘But I do have a job for you.’ Maddie gave an interested look, waiting for Tommy to reveal his task. ‘You have experience with assassins?’

Maddie stopped chewing on her mouthful of eggs and looked over at Tommy for a moment before eventually swallowing them.

‘The demon kind, yeah I suppose so,’ she replied cautiously. Tommy nodded, happy with her answer.

‘You know about the danger that me and Charlie are in. Well, the men who threatened him are called the Odd Fellows, or Section D amongst other names. I have been led to believe that they have multiple agents and infinite means to reach anyone at any time. I want you to check the house and the grounds for weak spots, possible ways that an assassin or kidnapper could get into the house.’ Tommy finished his explanation and looked at Maddie for a response. She swallowed the last mouthful of food that was on the plate and leant back in her chair.

‘You’re really scared of these people, aren’t you?’ she asked, looking Tommy in the eyes. He met her gaze unblinkingly. She may be more perceptive than Ada and Polly at this rate, he thought to himself.

‘Will you do that for me?’ Tommy enquired, ignoring Maddie’s question. She bit her lip and sighed before nodding.

‘Of course.’

Tommy checked his watch, not offering any words of thanks before standing. Maddie followed and he went to stand before her. He brought his hand up to stroke her cheek lightly, before planting a small, swift kiss to her lips. He broke away from Maddie and headed to the front door where Frances was waiting with his hat and coat. 

***

‘Why can’t we be at the match Tom?’ asked Finn pleadingly, scowling at Tommy.

Tommy sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was getting tired of repeating himself to Finn, and indeed the rest of his family. The family meeting had at first gone quickly and smoothly, he’d debriefed everyone on the previous night’s events and covered other minor matters of business without debate. However, when Tommy had reached the final topic of the boxing match that was to take place in a couple of days, he had received nothing but resistance about his decision that only he and Maddie would be travelling to London that weekend. Finn had wanted to watch Maddie fight as well as say goodbye; Arthur and John mostly wanted to be there to see her off. The women had been the only ones who were in agreement with the plan. Although Polly had mentioned to Tommy before the meeting that she wanted to have her own time to say goodbye to Maddie before they left.

Tommy simply glared at his kid brother, not wanting to spare the breath to repeat himself again. Finn attempted to meet his glare stubbornly but quickly looked away and slouched back in his chair in a sulk. John and Arthur sniggered, they had given up on trying to convince Tommy to allow them to come to London almost straight away, but Finn had persisted stubbornly. Tommy had also noticed Isiah watching the two of them argue with hope in his face, no doubt hoping that if Finn could go, he would be allowed to go as well. He knew Finn and Isiah had been particularly keen on Maddie during her stay, which was no doubt the real reason why they wanted to tag along. Tommy’s lingering jealousy of them both was what had motivated him to make the decision that he would go to London with Maddie alone. He knew it was selfish, and most definitely possessive of Maddie, but he wasn’t planning on admitting it her or his family anytime soon.

‘All of you back to work,’ ordered Tommy as he looked over everyone in the room, satisfied that Finn’s subordination had been quashed. Everyone got up to leave the office; all except Polly who remained in her seat scrutinising Tommy with pursed lips. He locked eyes with her as they waited for everyone to leave, pulling out his cigarette case and matches in preparation for whatever lecture he was about to receive.

‘You didn’t listen to me, did you?’

Tommy exhaled a long breath through his nose. He knew Pol was referring to their conversation last week about him and Maddie. No, he hadn’t listened to her, he couldn’t deny it. He was falling for Maddie, that was the truth that he was refusing to acknowledge in his heart of hearts. His aunt had already figured him out; she had no doubt been more aware of his emotions than he had over the past two weeks. God, he hated when Polly was proved right about matters of his personal life.

Tommy remained silent and lit his cigarette, sitting down at the table. Polly shook her head slowly and tutted, a look of disdain mixed with a touch of pity painted her features.

‘Oh, Thomas,’ she sighed. ‘Why is it always love that seems to get the better of you?’

Tommy had asked himself the same question before and had concluded he will never know the answer. 

‘Do yourself a favour Tommy, don’t make it any worse for either of you.’

Polly stubbed her cigarette in the ashtray before getting up and leaving without another word, finally leaving Tommy alone to his thoughts. He considered Polly’s advice. She was right, no doubt about it, but Tommy knew he wasn’t going to give up on Maddie. Not after the previous night had planted the idea of a small possibility that Maddie might stay. So, he pushed his aunt’s words from his mind, it wouldn’t have been the first time and would undoubtedly not be the last.

Tommy spent the rest of his day rushing from meeting to meeting, stopping only to down a swig of whiskey and to bark orders at people in-between. The day soon drew on and the sky began to darken before he had even reached his last appointment of the day; and he still had a pile of paperwork to address back at the office. The possibility of an all-night stay at the office was fast becoming a certainty. Tommy’s mood soured markedly as this reality dawned on him. He had wanted to go home and see Maddie, spend as much time with her as possible before the trip to London. Maybe even take her out riding if there was enough daylight left. He could hear himself snapping rudely at people in the office who asked him anything from the mundane to the legitimate. He even snapped at Lizzie, who glared at him so intensely as he marched into his office that he could practically feel daggers stabbing the back of his head. He ordered her to go home for the night as he slammed his office door shut.

Tommy sat at his desk after removing his outer layers and pouring himself a more generous glass of whiskey. He rubbed his temples firmly, massaging the tension and ire out of himself, finally accepting his fate of a cigarette dinner and no sleep. After willing his muscles to relax, Tommy picked up the phone and requested to be put through to Arrow House. The phone rang three times before Frances answered the phone.

‘Frances? I won’t be returning tonight.’ He nodded as Frances gave her understanding. ‘Can you put Maddie on the phone please?’ he asked evenly, rubbing his eyes as he felt the exhaustion of the day begin to catch up with him. There was a short silence on the other end of the phone before she answered.

‘Very well Mr Shelby, just one moment.’

Tommy held the line for what felt like several minutes, he guessed Maddie must have be out exploring the grounds. He smirked at the thought of Frances needing to trudge outside in the mud to find her. He poured himself another glass of whiskey as he waited patiently. Eventually, he heard the crackle of the receiver being picked up.

‘Hello?’ came Maddie’s voice.

‘Maddie, it’s Tommy,’ he replied.

‘Hey. Can you hear me ok? I’ve never used a phone like this before. Why is the mouth bit and ear bit separate?... Weird.’

Tommy allowed himself to smile at Maddie’s words with no one around to see him. Her fascination with rudimentary objects never failed to amuse him. Also just hearing her voice was enough to erase his foul mood, the jovial cadence of her speech was enjoyably infectious.

‘Are telephones not like this in 2020?’ he asked. Did he seriously just ask that? It was like the ghost of a childish teenage boy had possessed him.

‘No,’ Maddie laughed, the sound like musical chimes. ‘We even have ones small enough for everyone to carry one in their pocket.’

Tommy tried to imagine it but couldn’t get his head around how one would connect to the phone line without wires. Did they carry the wires in their pockets too? He decided it best not to try and understand it and began to dive into why he had called Maddie in the first place.

‘I’m not returning home tonight Maddie, I’m going to be working through the night,’ he said before downing the second glass of whiskey.

‘I know, Frances told me,’ said Maddie. Tommy listened for any sound of disappointment or hurt in her voice but didn’t hear any.

‘Did you manage to do what I asked? Any recommendations for me?’ probed Tommy.

‘Yeah, you could say that…’ scoffed Maddie.

Maddie proceeded to launch into her surprisingly detailed inspection of the house and grounds. Listing a worryingly large number of weaknesses, although some Tommy wrote off as only really being a problem if supernatural beings were planning on invading the house. She then went on to describe how she would personally reinforce the place, all of her recommendations sounding more than achievable. However, Maddie stressed that none of these improvements would be fool proof. She then went on a tangent of how the only way to completely secure Arrow House would be to build a fifteen-foot wall around the whole place. She used words that were completely foreign to Tommy, including ‘lasers’ and something called ‘see see tee vee’. At this point Tommy stopped her in her tracks, although he struggled to keep the amusement from his voice.

‘Yes, yes. Thank you, Maddie. That’s all very good,’ he said, feeling his smile widen as he heard Maddie falter at the other side of the phone. He imagined her embarrassed blush and quickly swallowed to push away more sinful images.

‘Sorry,’ she chuckled awkwardly. ‘It’s a shame you’re not coming back this evening. Your brothers, Johnny and Isiah are all here and we’re having a great time.’

Tommy felt his mood switch back to zero instantaneously. Of course, his brothers had taken the opportunity to see Maddie before she left. He felt suddenly jealous and considered abandoning his paperwork to go home before they got her drunk again, or Finn and Isiah could spend too much time with her. But he quickly dismissed it, he remembered what Maddie had told him, the kisses they had shared and decided that being threatened by two kids was completely ridiculous. Not to mention the paperwork he needed to finish was crucial for the new business deals he was drawing up with the people in America.

‘Well I’m glad to hear it,’ said Tommy, trying to sound impassive. ‘Just don’t let Johnny draw you into any betting games alright?’

‘Oh, don’t worry, I’ve got them all under control,’ said Maddie smugly. Just as she finished her sentence, there was a sound of an almighty crash followed by a roar of cheering and laughter in the background.

‘Er… well at least I did,’ said Maddie, followed by another round of ruckus. ‘Hey! Shut the fuck up guys I’m on the phone!’ came Maddie’s distant shout as she turned her mouth away from the receiver.

‘Goodnight, Maddie,’ said Tommy as the background noise finally died down.

‘Oh, er… Goodnight Tommy. Don’t work too hard.’

Tommy hung up the phone and hung his head down as he leant on his knees, allowing himself a few minutes to resent his obsession with work before ploughing into his mountainous to-do list. He worked bent over his desk for several hours; the clock reading past midnight when Tommy finally had chance to look up at it. He continued for another hour before finally finishing the last report and filing it it’s place neatly. Tommy opened his cigarette case to find it empty, the remnants of its previous inhabitants piled in his ashtray. Finishing his current glass of whiskey and making his way to the dresser on the other side of the room where his cigarette stores were kept, he allowed his brain to come down from the stress of the day. He weighed up whether or not to drive home but decided he’d had too much whiskey, the tell-tale claws of sleep scratching at his eyelids. 

Tommy looked over at the leather sofa on the other side of his office and sighed. He smoked one last cigarette before grabbing his coat from the rack, switching off the lights in the room and settling on the sofa underneath his woollen coat. He shut his eyes and thought about Maddie’s beautiful face as he let sleep pull him into unconsciousness. 

***

The following day played out much like the last. Endless meetings and phone calls kept Tommy busy until one in the afternoon. He however didn’t stop thinking about Maddie and how this would be her last full day at Arrow House; he found himself talking and writing faster than usual to ensure he could get home early that afternoon. He had told Maddie he would make time to take her riding, and he wasn’t planning on going back on his word. Tommy overheard a conversation between his brothers as he got ready to leave the office and was relieved to hear that Maddie hadn’t gotten too drunk that night. They were planning on having another joyous night in order to give Maddie a proper Shelby family send off.

‘That’s not a bad idea,’ said Tommy, interrupting their conversation. His brothers gave him a surprised look, it wasn’t very often that Tommy showed interest in social events. Tommy turned to Lizzie who was sat at her desk watching them, looking happy at the thought of Maddie finally leaving them. ‘Lizzie, invite everyone to the house tonight for Maddie’s farewell party, yourself included.’

Lizzie nodded but followed with a sarcastic smile at the instruction. Tommy listed off a few other orders to the others before declaring he was going home and quickly marched out of the door.

The drive home felt like the longest it had ever been, the winding country lanes of Warwickshire going on forever. Tommy’s heart sang when he finally laid eyes on the house. As he pulled up towards the front door, he scanned the immediate area for Maddie but didn’t spot her. He went inside and handed his briefcase to Frances who was waiting for him.

‘Where’s Maddie?’ he asked before Frances had a chance to speak.

‘She’s somewhere in the grounds sir, perhaps by the river. That girl often comes back with half the river in her boots and clothes.’

There was the bitterness in Frances’ voice again. Tommy stared down at her unblinkingly.

‘In future Frances, ensure you don’t have indignant tone in your voice when referring to Maddie,’ he ordered, including a subtle undertone of threat. It was enough to make Frances’ eyes widen with freight and a red hue spread up her neck. Tommy turned abruptly from her and went back out of the door and made his way to the stables.

Tommy decided to look for Maddie on horseback so when he found her, he could surprise her with a riding lesson. Eric, the stable hand, assisted Tommy in readying the grey mare that Maddie had been admiring the evening Tommy had found her in the stable. The mare was fairly docile and would be an ideal horse for a first timer like Maddie.

Once saddled up, Tommy mounted the horse and set off out of the stable at a canter but took her up to a gallop as he made it to the fields that were between the house and the river. The day was proving to be uncharacteristically warm for the end of March, with the sun peeking through sparse clouds and a warm spring breeze caressing Tommy’s skin. He even had to remove his gloves and coat, storing them behind the saddle, as he could feel himself starting to sweat under his numerous layers.

Tommy rode for a couple of miles through the fields, following the path of the river upstream once he met it, scanning the horizon for signs of Maddie. He was beginning to suspect that he had missed her, and she had made her way back to the house when he finally spotted a figure in the distance. They were crouched down and bent over forwards on the ground by the edge of the river. Tommy kicked the horse into speed and galloped towards the person. As he got closer, he was relieved to see it was Maddie; as she heard him approaching, she looked up and squinted in his direction before waving as she realised who it was. 

‘Hey!’ she said as he guided the horse closer to her.

Now that he was within a few feet of Maddie he noticed that she was knelt so close to the river that her knees were actually submerged in it. The jodhpurs she was wearing were stained darker with the moisture from the river up to her mid-thigh. The rest of her clothing was also wet and muddy in sporadic patches. Tommy now found he empathised a little more with Frances if this was the state Maddie often returned to the house in. Tommy dismounted the horse and went to crouch next to Maddie, wondering what could be so interesting that she had to kneel in muddy water.

‘Look,’ Maddie said pointing to a small rock near the river’s edge. On the rock were several baby frogs, some hopping around and a couple diving into the water. Tommy then spotted the frogspawn that surrounded the rock where the baby frogs were hatching from. ‘Cool, eh?’

‘I suppose it is cold in the water,’ muttered Tommy.

Maddie snorted and laughed, covering her mouth to stifle herself as Tommy looked at her inquisitively. Did he miss some kind of joke? After throwing Maddie a disgruntled look at her behaviour she smirked at him before explaining herself.

‘In the future ‘cool’ can mean ‘amazing’ or ‘good’ as well as something that is cold,’ she explained. 

Tommy was sure he would never understand the modern way of using words, why did they have to use descriptions of temperature to describe characteristics other than just that? Tommy stood back up and prompted Maddie to do the same, turning back to the horse that was now grazing happily behind them.

‘Ready for your riding lesson?’

Maddie gasped, ‘So you did find the time!’ she giggled before skipping over to the horse to pet it.

‘I told you I would,’ replied Tommy as he followed her. He watched as Maddie stroked the horse’s mane and neck and whispered to it softly. The horse responded by nudging its nose towards her face, a good sign that the horse was comfortable with her.

‘What’s her name?’ asked Maddie.

‘She doesn’t have one.’

‘You have a horse with no name?’ Maddie looked at him in disbelief. 

‘Not just one,’ Tommy replied shrugging.

‘Well I think I’ll name her,’ Maddie bit her lip and looked up as if searching for the answer in the sky, which of course she did. ‘Luna, because she shines in the moonlight.’

Tommy huffed his usually non-committal laugh but admitted it suited the mare well.

‘Well, I think we’d better stop petting Luna, and start riding her,’ said Tommy with a smirk.

Maddie nodded and smiled. She looked at Luna as if the knowledge of what to do would come to her, she quickly faltered and looked back at Tommy expectantly. Tommy chuckled and instructed Maddie to mount Luna, he offered her his hand to step up on, but she waved him off. She hooked her right leg into the stirrup before grasping the front of the saddle. Maddie stepped up and swung her leg over to sit on the saddle with grace and ease as Tommy held onto the reins to prevent Luna from jittering. Maddie made herself comfortable on the saddle, shifting her weight around and nodded to Tommy when she was satisfied. Tommy then began to lead Luna around in a circle to allow Maddie to get used to sitting on horseback.

‘Feel her movements. Get your balance on the saddle,’ instructed Tommy. He watched Maddie as she experimented with her posture and centre of gravity before quickly adapting to Luna’s rhythm. Maddie sat up straight and had automatically started to look ahead and adapt to small changes in Luna’s speed without prompt. So far so good, thought Tommy.

Maddie looked down at Tommy after a couple of laps, an inpatient but hopeful look in her eyes. She was evidently itching to take the reins. Tommy bought Luna to a halt before passing the reigns up to Maddie, who took them before asking how she should hold them.

‘Like this,’ said Tommy, reaching up and placing his hands over Maddie’s, moving them into the correct position. ‘Firm grip.’ He felt Maddie’s strong hands squeeze more tightly around the leather before he withdrew his own.

Tommy had Maddie start walking Luna around in a wide figure of eight, telling her how to verbally and physically signal for Luna to start, stop and turn. Maddie got the hang of it quickly; it was hardly a surprise to Tommy. Her ability to pick up new skills was remarkable, just like everything else about her.

‘I think you’re ready to speed things up,’ said Tommy. Maddie smiled excitedly as she awaited the next instruction.

Tommy demonstrated how to tell Luna to speed up to a canter. Maddie mimicked him and took Luna up into an easy canter as she proceeded to go around in the figure of eight circling Tommy. He smiled as he observed Maddie keep her posture and control her weight as she bounced up and down on the saddle. She was a natural, one of those rare people who took to riding like a fish did to water. She reminded Tommy of himself when he was boy, filled with joy with being on the back of a horse and nothing but the countryside surrounding him. 

Then without being told to do so, Maddie nudged Luna’s side again to make her begin to gallop. They took off at a swift speed, no longer bothering with their looping circuit. Maddie rode Luna a hundred yards in a straight line before slowing her down to a walk to turn around and gallop back to where Tommy was stood. Maddie pulled sharply on the reins and Luna came to a sharp holt next to Tommy. Maddie smiled widely at him as he kept his hands in his pockets and attempted to look unimpressed.

‘Very good,’ he said. Maddie rolled her eyes at him before leaning forwards to run her fingers through Luna’s mane. Tommy decided there wasn’t much more he could teach Maddie without taking her to the paddock. ‘Come on,’ he said, reaching up for Maddie to take his hand as she dismounted.

They walked with Luna along the river a distance before sitting together by the river, letting Luna drink and graze a few feet away. Tommy realised that this would likely be the last opportunity for him to talk with Maddie one on one before tomorrow. He had neglected to ask Maddie many questions about the future and what was going to be in store for them over the coming years. Which he was now itching to ask. Maddie indulged him in his questions, introducing more new words like ‘internet’, ‘computers’ and ‘television’ and explaining them all to him. What Maddie was saying sounded more like a novel to Tommy, like The War of the Worlds, barely seeming real or even possible. But he listened and questioned intently, enjoying every moment of listening to Maddie’s enthusiastic voice tell her stories. However, when Tommy asked about what was to come in the immediate future, Maddie shifted in her seat, her demeanour changing instantly.

‘What is it?’ he asked, furrowing his brow.

A flash of what he could have sworn was panic flitted across her features before she moulded them into a poor attempt at nonchalance. She shook her head nervously.

‘Oh, it’s nothing.’ 

Tommy continued to scrutinise her, and for the first time Maddie seemed to wither under his glare. He didn’t want to cause her discomfort, but her reaction had caught his undivided attention. After a few seconds silence Maddie attempted to change the subject, asking Tommy about the plan for the following day. Tommy cleared his throat as he considered pressing her about her odd behaviour but on careful thought concluded that what she was hiding was likely something that he really shouldn’t know, for the sake of not changing the future. 

So, much to her relief, Tommy indulged her request and outlined the schedule for the following day, which reminded him about the party that was planned. He pulled out his watch before telling Maddie that they ought to make their way back. They approached Luna and Maddie mounted first before Tommy hoisted himself up to sit on the saddle behind her.

As they found their positions on the saddle, Maddie’s back pressed up against Tommy’s chest as she settled in between his legs. Her head was close to his face and he could smell the scent of the soap she’d used in her hair. She had braided her hair into a loose plait that hung over one shoulder and the shirt she was wearing had a wide collar that exposed the soft skin of the back of her neck and shoulders. Tommy had to take a deep breath as he got used to their closeness, bringing himself back to the moment. He went to reach around Maddie to take the reins, but she kept her grip on them.

‘Can I?’ she asked. Tommy swallowed; he’d hoped to take control so he could concentrate on something that wasn’t Maddie’s body against his.

‘Alright,’ he said, moving his hands down to hold onto Maddie’s waist. He felt the muscles of her torso tense at his touch.

Maddie called for Luna to walk and they began their journey back at a leisurely pace. Tommy tried his best to focus on the path ahead but found his gaze drawn back to Maddie’s neck as they rode. He was close enough to see the light dusting of freckles that decorated her shoulder. Tommy brought his hands closer together over Maddie’s stomach instinctively, bringing her closer still. If he were to lean down slightly, he could bring his lips to kiss the skin of her neck. Tommy felt his head begin to drop to do just that when Luna suddenly jumped at a rabbit the darted out in front of them.

Tommy had been so impressed by Maddie’s riding skills that he’d neglected to show her how to calm a horse and stop it from rearing and throwing her off. He quickly reached forward and grabbed the reins as he squeezed his knees into Luna’s flanks as the horse whinnied in freight and began to shift her weight onto her hind legs.

‘Whoa!’ Tommy called.

Luna snorted loudly, shaking her head around as she stomped her feet in protest. As Tommy pulled on Luna’s reins, Maddie leant forward slightly and stroked Luna’s neck as she shushed the horse calmly. Luna soon settled and became still, Tommy sighing with relief that the mare hadn’t thrown them off. Maddie continued to lean forward as she caressed Luna’s mane, causing her ass to push back into Tommy’s crotch. He breathed in deeply as his gaze travelled down Maddie’s back to her backside. The back of her shirt had ridden up to expose the skin of her lower back and Tommy’s gaze became fixed on the small area of exposed skin. His hands had sat snugly over the bones of Maddie’s hips as she had leant forward, still holding onto the reins. Tommy released his grip on the leather straps and moved his hands back slightly so he could grasp the soft flesh of Maddie’s hips and caress the exposed skin of her back with his thumbs. Maddie stopped her movements and Tommy heard her take a shuddering breath as he began to move his hands further up her waist under her shirt.

Maddie straightened up to lean back into Tommy, his hands coming around to her toned stomach as she turned her head up and to the side as he turned his head to face hers. Their faces were now only an inch apart and Tommy met Maddie’s blue eyes with his own before casting his eyes down to her lips that were parted slightly. He could hear her breath quickening as they lingered there for a few seconds. Maddie lifted one hand to touch the back of Tommy’s head and covered one of his hands that was under her shirt with the other. She began to gently stroke Tommy’s head with her fingernails, now making his breath shudder. 

He couldn’t restrain himself any longer. Tommy pressed his lips firmly to Maddie’s hungrily. They kissed in a way they hadn’t previously. Tommy didn’t take the time to caress his lips with hers gently as they had done before. Instead he forced Maddie’s mouth open in an instant so he could run his tongue along her lips and the inside of her cheek. Maddie bit his top lip harshly but not to enough to cause pain and Tommy responded by biting hers just as hard.

Tommy could feel his blood racing through his body, and before too long his cock began to harden and press into Maddie’s back. She noticed almost immediately as she quickly pushed her ass back into it, eliciting low moans from them both. Tommy, now bolstered by the sounds of Maddie’s heady moans, pulled her pelvis even closer to his as he moved his other hand up until he felt the silk hem of her brazier. They continued the assault on each other’s mouths as Tommy simultaneously dug his fingers into the flesh around Maddie’s hip bone and inched his other hand further upwards. Tommy reached the supple, warm, silk covered flesh of Maddie’s plump breast and squeezed gently. Maddie made a noise somewhere between a gasp and a moan, breaking their lips apart momentarily. Tommy opened his eyes to look at Maddie’s face; her eyes were still closed, her eyelids fluttering blissfully. She pulled him back into the kiss and they continued to embrace sat on horseback.

Tommy continued to massage Maddie’s breast as he moved his other hand along her lower stomach, running his fingers along the top of her jodhpurs, teasing the skin with his fingertips. Her breath hitched completely, and she pushed her weight back even harder into Tommy. He smiled into her lips, unable to get enough of her mouth, her body, her everything. Then, it stopped.

A sharp and cold gust of wind hit them, making Luna whinny. Tommy and Maddie broke apart and came crashing harshly back to reality. Maddie picked up the reins that had been left forgotten in front of her to calm Luna. Tommy realised he still had his hand on Maddie’s breast and reluctantly withdrew it, his hand feeling uncomfortably bare without the warmth. They were both panting, Tommy’s chest heaving into Maddie’s back as he put his hands back on her waist above her shirt.

‘Let’s get back eh?’ he declared as he cleared his throat. 

***

‘Come on Tommy! Give us the raunchy details!’ guffawed John, punching Tommy in the upper arm playfully as Arthur and the other men sniggered amongst themselves.

Tommy grabbed John by his collar, yanking his brother towards him violently and staring him in the eye. He’d finally lost his temper with John and the others, their relentless teasing aggravating him to his very core. 

‘I said to fucking leave it, John.’

The reason for their behaviour was admittedly a result of Tommy’s lack of time keeping. When Tommy and Maddie got back to the stable, the sun had set, surrounding them in cold darkness. They’d handed off Luna to Eric before hastily making their way to the house through one of the back doors. As soon as they were in the hallway, Tommy grabbed Maddie by the arms and pinned her between himself and the wall before kissing her eagerly. The rest of the ride home had been torture for Tommy, his arousal growing relentlessly as their bodies remained pressed together. So, when they got back, Tommy wasted no time in getting what he wanted, not caring what time it was.

Tommy’s reluctance to continue their embrace in the hallway lead him to break away and pull her through the house towards the foyer. His destination a bedroom, any bedroom, he didn’t care which. They stumbled through the hallway, discarding their jackets on the floor and smiling like love-sick teenagers. They staggered into the foyer area just as Tommy starting kissing Maddie’s neck, only to be greeted by his entire family gathered there. The two of them had frozen in place, Tommy’s face dropping as the crowd turned to look at them. John and Arthur’s eyebrows raised as they smirked; Finn and Isiah snickered although looking crestfallen; Johnny was smiling, giving Tommy a thumbs up. The women all made expressions of distaste or lack of surprise, Polly looking particularly unperturbed. Tommy and Maddie took a step apart as Tommy closed his eyes in frustration, the silence lingering awkwardly.

‘Er, hi everyone…’ mumbled Maddie, looking at her feet in embarrassment.

‘Surprise Mads!’ shouted Arthur, breaking the silence and throwing his arms out in a friendly gesture. ‘It’s your leaving party!’

Maddie looked around surprised, ‘You guys would do this for me?’. The room nodded their assent as everyone stepped forward to hug Maddie. 

‘Come on Maddie, let’s go and pick you out something nice to wear and freshen you up for your party,’ said Polly as she embraced her. Pol took Maddie’s hand and lead her away to the stairs. Tommy watched Maddie be led away; she looked back to meet his eyes, smiling ruefully and giving a small defeated shrug.

Since that moment, Tommy had been pestered from every angle. His brothers dying to know the details about what he and Maddie had been up to that afternoon, and Tommy had finally reached the end of his tether.

John pushed Tommy off him but said nothing more, the other men also finally took the hint and changed the subject of conversation. They engaged in idle chatter that bored Tommy no end as they waited for Maddie and Polly to come downstairs so they could get the party started proper. Tommy partly regretted the idea of the party. If he hadn’t agreed to it, he and Maddie would be upstairs alone now. Tommy had to focus on Michael’s words to push out the images that raided his mind before he drove himself mad.

Tommy had the maid bring him rum for a change, downing a couple of glasses during the wait which rapidly lead to the familiar warm numbness spreading through his veins. He sighed with relief, just in time as Polly and Maddie chose that moment to finally arrive.

Polly had managed to do Maddie’s hair in the current fashion, the finger waves framing her face and flattering her pretty features. Her makeup was also done, eyeshadow and lipstick that stood out in all the right ways. She’d chosen a blue dress with long sleeves and matching heels, the colour making her fair skin glow in the dim lights of the room. Tommy couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, she had a glow that radiated warmth through the room.

The guests erupted with cheers and wolf whistles as Maddie entered, making her blush but smile confidently. Finn approached her and held his hand out which she took; he held her hand above her head and spun her around on the spot to show off her outfit. The room clapped and laughed, Tommy only engaging in the former as he eyed Finn whose gaze raked itself up and down Maddie’s body.

‘I think it’s time for more drinks!’ shouted Tommy with a clap, interrupting Finn’s parade of Maddie.

The maids entered with champagne, beer and a mixture of spirits and began their rounds around the guests. Tommy approached Maddie and Finn as she took a class of champagne from the maid. Tommy glared Finn down on his approach, who had the sense of mind to pick up on Tommy’s silent order and moved away to find Isiah.

‘You really organised a champagne party for me?’ asked Maddie, smiling from ear to ear.

‘Mm-hm,’ hummed Tommy.

‘Lucky we got back when we did, we could have easily missed it with our lack of awareness of the world,’ said Maddie quietly so only Tommy could hear. She looked up at him with a flirtatious smile and Tommy couldn’t help but smirk at her joke. Still as mischievous and as confident as ever, even after the two of them being caught all over each other by Tommy’s entire family.

‘Where’s Ada? Isn’t she coming?’ enquired Maddie after several seconds of flirtatious eye contact.

‘No. But she wants to see you in London before we go to this… Watcher’s Council.’

Maddie nodded and smiled, seemingly satisfied just as Esme bounded over to pull Maddie away for a chat with her and the women. Tommy clenched his jaw, reflexively suspicious of what they wanted to talk to her about. Not that he could have done anything to stop it anyway, so he turned away to engage in conversation with Johnny.

The night proceeded with much camaraderie and noise, in typical Shelby fashion. They ate, drank, sang and danced for hours, Tommy watching on with his rum and cigarettes as he usually did. He felt himself getting more and more drunk, gulping hungrily on his drink as Maddie laughed and enjoyed his family’s company like the night she first arrived. They had Maddie perform tricks and shows of strength like they had before, shouting a banging on the tables as she lifted heavy objects above her head. 

Tommy watched Maddie obsessively, memorising her face, the shine of her hair, the shape of her body and the musical sound of her laugh. He suddenly felt the imminent loom of Maddie’s departure over his shoulder; he wanted to make sure he formed the best memory of her he could in his mind’s eye. The more he tried to ignore the sad feeling of losing Maddie, the more Tommy drank and the drunker he became. His vision began to blur as the time neared one in the morning, barely being able to make out the clock on the mantel piece.

Tommy attempted to stand and found it more difficult than expected, leaning to one side precariously. The fun had begun to die down, everyone sat down nursing their own drinks. Johnny was already fast asleep on the sofa, snoring.

‘Right. I think we should call it a night,’ called Tommy, only just managing to keep his words steady. He took a step with the plan of rounding up the guests to go to bed but the room immediately began to spin and sway around him causing him to teeter dangerously.

‘Whoa there, Tom,’ came Arthurs voice followed by his hands on Tommy’s arm to hold him steady. Tommy put his hand up to wave Arthur away.

‘It’s… alright, I’m fine,’ slurred Tommy. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut to try and make the dizziness go away.

‘I’ll help him upstairs,’ whispered Maddie. Tommy opened his eyes to see Maddie take his other arm and rub it soothingly. Arthur hummed his agreement before turning to the rest of the guests, yelling at them to make themselves scarce.

Everyone made their way out into the foyer, Tommy leaning a considerable amount of his weight on Maddie which she made no sign of struggling with. She leaned in close to his ear to whisper something as everyone chatted loudly around them.

‘I could pick you up and carry you up the stairs if you want,’ she teased sarcastically.

‘No, you fucking wont,’ said Tommy under his breath, followed by the two of them laughing together secretly.

Everybody said their goodnights and Maddie guided Tommy up the stairs and to his room. Once inside Tommy stopped Maddie from pulling him along and made her face him. He ducked his head down into the crook of her neck and began to kiss it, although with a lot less finesse than was his usual standard.

‘Tommy,’ whispered Maddie, pushing him away so she could look at his face. ‘You're off your fucking face.’ She chuckled sweetly as Tommy felt her fingers trace the bones of his face. Tommy hadn’t heard the expression before, but he thought it a very good way of describing his inebriated state. He sighed in defeat, wanting nothing more than to kiss her to quieten her protest but he knew he’d fail if he tried.

‘I suppose this is me returning the favour for when you helped me on my first night here,’ she said with a smile. Tommy smiled in return before letting Maddie walk him to his bed where he flopped onto it with the grace of an elephant. She pulled his shoes off and covered him with the sheet, still fully clothed, much to his disappointment. Maddie leant down and planted a tender kiss to his lips.

‘Goodnight Tommy.’


	9. The Boxing Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I managed to write this chapter quicker than expected. I really enjoyed writing it! Enjoy :)

‘Good luck love. Be sure to remember us and your time here,’ said Polly, placing her hands on Maddie’s cheeks and giving her a maternal smile. She pulled Maddie into a warm hug, rubbing her back soothingly.

‘I will Pol. There’s no way I’m going to be forgetting you lot anytime soon,’ replied Maddie with a chuckle.

As Maddie pulled away from their embrace, John barged forward in front of Polly and scooped Maddie up into his arms.

‘I’m going to miss you Mads!’ he shouted as he squeezed her tightly around the waist and spun her around.

‘I know John, I’ll miss you too!’ squealed Maddie in exaggerated faux terror.

Plonking Maddie back onto her feet, John stepped to one side as Arthur approached to have his goodbye. He held his arms out and Maddie stepped into them, resting her chin on Arthur’s shoulder.

‘Take care of yourself, Mads. And give whoever it is you’re fightin’ hell eh?’ he said playfully and with a note of brotherly affection. As they hugged, Maddie spotted Tommy lingering a couple of feet away from the group, looking at his pocket watch impatiently. Maddie rolled her eyes to herself; it was his fault they were running late anyway.

As amusing as a drunk Tommy had been the previous night, Maddie had thought it typical that the day they had stepped over the invisible line in the sand and accepted that they were going to fuck, the man decided to get himself plastered on her last night at Arrow House. Maybe the universe was trying to tell her something, Maddie pondered. That being said, she enjoyed seeing a more vulnerable side of Tommy, even if it was alcohol induced. Maddie imagined it was very rare that Tommy let himself get that way, and she felt privileged to have seen that side of him. But that meant that Tommy had arisen that morning far later than usual, looking particularly grumpy about it as well. Maddie could sense his mood deteriorating more as he rushed to be ready to leave in good time to get to London before dark.

Then Maddie recalled her and Tommy’s sexcapades the previous day and immediately felt her skin become hot. Fucking hell, that a riding lesson she would never forget. Maddie was the first one to admit that she could be promiscuous and risqué at the best of times; but grinding against Tommy’s hard on whilst sat on horseback reached a whole new level entirely. Maddie imagined the jokes and teasing she would receive from her friends if they ever found out. As happy as she was to see the Shelby’s at the house to throw her very own party, Maddie would have been comfortable in punching all of them unconscious so she and Tommy could have some time alone.

The conversation Maddie had with Polly as she helped her get ready immediately followed in the metaphorical memory reel in Maddie’s head. Maddie remembered she had needed to pinch herself in order to suppress the arousal that had built up over the afternoon. She admitted that she had become quite irritable, being made to come down from the aggressive blood pumping horniness had the initial side effect of making Maddie moody. And the sarcastic comment she got from Polly didn’t help the matter.

‘I hope we didn’t interrupt anything important back there,’ said Polly as Maddie stripped herself of her muddy clothes and went to get into the bath for a quick soak. Polly reminded her of her mum when she was alive. Polly sounded like she’d just found Maddie kissing a boy behind the bloody bike shed or something. Maddie scoffed but tried her best to not sound too pissed off.

‘Oh no, nothing important,’ muttered Maddie, dripping with sarcasm. She sighed and closed her eyes, hearing the bitterness in her voice. Thankfully, Polly didn’t take it to heart as Maddie heard her laugh from the bedroom.

Maddie quickly scrubbed herself down, Frances must have prepared the bath expecting Maddie back earlier as the water was tepid and not particularly enjoyable. As Maddie got out of the bath and started brushing her hair, she could hear Polly rifling through her clothes in the wardrobe.

‘My nephew has a way of drawing in strong women,’ came Polly’s voice through the door before she appeared in the doorway holding two dresses. Maddie held eye contact with Polly, not sure of what to make of her comment. She felt like it was the beginning of a warning.

Polly walked to Maddie and held up each dress in front of her, scrutinising them to decide which was the best. Maddie decided it was probably best to speak plainly with Polly, she got the impression the older woman would prefer it that way.

‘You think Tommy has drawn me into what exactly? A trap?’

Polly regarded Maddie with a knowing smile, thinking about what she’d said. She eventually shook her head and grasped Maddie’s forearm.

‘No. Not quite,’ she said. ‘You’re too much of a free spirit to be completely submerged by the blue of his eyes.’

They chuckled, Maddie thankful that Polly didn’t completely disapprove of her and Tommy’s attraction to one another. 

‘You’re quite a poet with words Pol,’ said Maddie.

‘I can be when the mood strikes me,’ Polly grinned. ‘Now, are we wearing the orange or the blue?’ Polly held up the two dresses for Maddie to choose, who eyed them both before making her decision.

‘The blue.’

The rest of her time with Polly was mostly spent in silence as the matriarch moulded Maddie’s hair into beautiful waves, pinning the bottom part of her hair up and under so her hair looked several inches shorter. Maddie liked the look, maybe she would get a haircut when she got back home. She did her makeup in the mirror as Polly did her hair, trying her best to copy the makeup she’d seen the other women wear. By the time they had finished, Maddie barely recognised herself. She’d only ever seen women like the one she saw in the mirror in old photos, now she was one. This is so fucking surreal, she thought.

‘Do you think Tommy will like it?’ asked Maddie.

Polly guffawed as she lit a cigarette, admiring Maddie from across the room, ‘Sweetheart. You’ve already got him acting like a dog with a bloody bone, now you’ll have him by a fucking lead.’

Polly’s compliment lit a bright fire of confidence within Maddie, but did she really have that much of an effect on Tommy? He was so unbothered by everything that it was impossible to tell most of the time. But then again, the sexy kissing sessions were convincing enough evidence for Polly’s argument.

Maddie was proved that Polly was indeed right. On entering the party Maddie looked over to Tommy as everyone cheered and clapped upon her entrance. He didn’t even notice her looking at him as his eyes were too busy travelling up and down her body hungrily, the signs of his non-smile appearing. Maddie was sure he didn’t even notice that he was doing it.

Maddie was snapped back to the present as Tommy cleared his throat loudly in a signal for everyone to hurry the goodbyes along. He’d started to pace around, his impatience evidently increasing. Maddie approached Esme next and embraced her, followed quickly by Finn, Isiah and Michael; she was going to miss their youthful charm. Maddie was surprised when Linda, one of the people she was sure hated her, took both of her hands and gave her a friendly smile before wishing her luck. Johnny tipped his hat to Maddie, expressing his regret that he couldn’t get her involved in any of his hair brained schemes.

The last person left to wish farewell was Lizzie. Maddie admitted she hadn’t made much effort to get to know the woman over the past two weeks and could more than tell that Lizzie wasn’t keen on her. She’d even made an effort to behave like Maddie was invisible during the party, and had a sour look on her face when the other women had pulled Maddie away to ask for details on her and Tommy. Which Maddie refused to give.

Lizzie regarded her with a venomous look as everyone else looked on awkwardly. Despite not knowing much about Lizzie, Maddie knew that she liked Tommy. They were destined to be married after all. So, for Lizzie to see her and Tommy all over each other must have been hard for her. Therefore, Maddie made the decision to be the bigger person.

‘It was nice to meet you Lizzie,’ smiled Maddie, holding out her hand for Lizzie to shake. She looked down at Maddie’s hand and hesitated. After a couple of seconds her expression changed, and she accepted Maddie’s hand.

‘Likewise,’ she responded. It was a short and forced politeness, but Maddie was chuffed with it, nonetheless.

‘Right,’ came Tommy’s booming voice. ‘If we are done with the farewells maybe we should be getting off.’

He began walking out of the front door, not looking back to see if Maddie was following. She and the Shelby’s walked out together behind Tommy and to his car which he got into without a word. 

‘Well, this is goodbye then,’ said Maddie, waving her hand innocently before getting into the car beside Tommy. He started the engine as Maddie opened the window hatch to wave at the group. 

Tommy began to drive the car down the driveway as Maddie continued to wave her hand out of the window.   
‘Bye Mads!’ she heard John, Arthur and Finn shout after them. Maddie turned to look out of the back window to see the place she’d called home for the past fortnight for the last time. She watched as Arrow House became smaller and smaller and eventually disappeared from sight as Tommy drove them through the trees and onto the main road

***

The journey to London took an exceptionally long time. Without motorways, driving there via the main roads, which to Maddie seemed more like country lanes, was dull and seemingly endless. However, Maddie saw the time as the perfect opportunity to reflect on her time spent in 1924. Tommy didn’t seem like he was in much of a talkative mood; well, less so that usual anyway. Maddie had looked over to him as he drove and saw the hard lines of his brow and jaw were stiff and set. She could tell his mind was pre-occupied elsewhere and so decided it was best not to try and engage Tommy in conversation. So, Maddie unlaced her shoes, freeing her toes from the tight leather. She brought her legs under herself on the seat and rested her head on her forearm which she placed on the window ledge so she could gaze out of the window comfortably.

Well that was one hell of a holiday Maddie, she thought to herself. If she wasn’t a vampire slayer or as familiar with the supernatural, she would have put this whole experience down as a fever dream. But she admitted that travelling back in time and becoming a member of the most well-known gang in Birmingham was the coolest thing that had ever happened to her. And she was a vampire slayer! Not only that, but Maddie had begun to fall for the Peaky Blinder’s notorious leader.

Maddie had finally realised, or more accurately confessed to herself, that she was falling in love with the infamous Thomas Shelby the night he tended to her glass shredded hands. Maddie had known that something was trying to keep her in 1924, a desire to remain that battled silently within her against the opposing desire to go home. Maddie only realised that it was her feelings for Tommy that was the root of this conflict; she’d seen the look in his eyes when he’d said Maddie would soon be back home and able to forget about her insane trip through time. The lightbulb had clicked on in her brain and she realised part of her didn’t want to go. And despite his words telling her one thing, Tommy’s eyes told her that he didn’t want her to go either. Maddie had communicated her feelings to Tommy with a kiss. She had wanted to sleep with Tommy desperately in the moment, wanted to have him as close as possible for as long as she could get away with. But Tommy had decided to grow a conscience in that moment and turned her away, all because of some bloody cuts and bruises. At least she got the hot make out session on horseback to make up for it.

There’s still time to fuck him though, thought Maddie mischievously. She glanced over at Tommy and saw that his face hadn’t changed in the time she’d spent sat in thought. Maddie thought about making up some excuse for Tommy to stop the car so she could jump him. The thought of her and Tommy’s first time being in a car in the middle of nowhere however, stopped her. Not to mention that Maddie wasn’t completely convinced that pulling that kind of move wouldn’t in fact incur Tommy’s temper with the foul mood he’d displayed so far that day.

Maddie sighed and went back to her contemplation. She considered all the other people she’d gotten to know over the past two weeks. The second family that she’d made in the Shelby’s. John and Arthur felt like her older brothers; Finn her younger brother; Ada like a twin sister; Michael a cousin and Polly like a mother. Maddie knew she was going to miss them all dearly.

Then Maddie was reminded of little Charlie. Whilst Tommy had stormed about the house getting his arse in gear earlier that morning, Maddie had taken the opportunity to spend half and hour with Charlie to say goodbye. She had become fond of the little shit despite her best efforts. He definitely took after his father; the toddler knew what he wanted and when he wanted it and it made Maddie laugh every time she noticed the resemblance. She played with Charlie in his room for the last time, eliciting high pitched laughter from his little lungs. Tommy came to tell her they were leaving, and Maddie had scooped Charlie up and given him a tight hug. She had to blink rapidly to fight away the tear that was threatening to make an appearance as she squeezed him.

Maddie could feel her eyes stinging at the memory and she momentarily pressed her fingers to her eyelids, willing the feeling to stop. The last time Maddie had felt such intense emotion was when her mum died. Since then, every emotion she had experienced hadn’t felt as poignant as the ones she’d felt when she realised that she would never see her mother’s face again. Bloody hell, Mads! Will you stop thinking about such gloomy shit, she berated herself. However, Maddie’s attempt to cheer herself up was short lived as she remembered the other major event that had happened as a result of her gangster life. She’d killed a human.

Maddie wasn’t sure what was worse, that she’d taken a life, albeit it being accidental, or that she felt less guilty about it than she expected. She’d only shed a few tears that night under the scrutiny of Tommy’s gaze, her eyes being exceptionally dry since. Maddie believed she had come to terms with it as quickly as she had because the act had been in self-defence and the man that she had killed had been her enemy. The fact that she didn’t know his name also made it easier, she was able to detach the body from the person, although she was sure that wasn’t such a good sign. Maddie wasn’t proud of what she did, but she had gotten over it and pushed the initial shame aside. She’d heard that being a slayer could make you cold like stone, maybe that was true.

Maddie awoke from her nostalgic daydreaming session and inspected the scenery around her. It looked exactly the same as the scenery she’d seen over the past two hours, no landmarks that she recognised to signify which part of the country they were in. Maddie was keen to break the silence. The longer it went on, the more she feared that Tommy may start questioning her about the future as he had the day before. She had only just managed to stop herself from spilling the beans about a certain war that would break out in another fifteen years during that conversation, and she wanted to keep it that way. She had decided it best that that knowledge was best left unknown to Tommy. Maddie slouched back in her seat with a huff before turning to look at Tommy who gave no reaction to her sudden display of boredom.

‘Are we there yet?’ groaned Maddie. Finally breaking the infinite silence that they’d been sat in.

Tommy turned his head to peer over at Maddie, his artic eyes piercing her skin as he flitted his gaze up and down her unladylike posture before turning back to the road.

‘No.’

Maddie scoffed and folded her arms over her chest. She’d done well so far to keep her patience for so long but now she was thoroughly bored, and that was always dangerous for anyone who had the misfortune of being stuck with her. She remembered that she had hated long car journey’s as a child and had often made up games to entertain herself. These games were usually only ever obvious to Maddie, with anyone else on the journey usually unaware that they were participants in her little fancies. She looked over at Tommy shiftily and quickly thought up of a fun game she could play. Time to play the ‘Get a Reaction Out of Tommy’ game.

Maddie smiled sneakily and leaned back more as she slowly lifted one un-shoed foot onto the dashboard and then the other, keeping her eyes on Tommy’s face as she did so. She saw Tommy’s eyes slowly look over to her feet and back again silently. Maddie smirked to herself, maybe this game would be easier than she thought. She went up another level and curled her toes to make them crack and pop loudly. Tommy took in a slow inhale followed by an equally slow exhale. This was just the sort of fun Maddie was looking for.

How do I get him to say something? Maddie looked around her before resting one arm on the door, beginning to tap one of her fingernails on the polished wood in a regular rhythm. She watched with amusement as Tommy’s face slowly showed signs of annoyance as she continued to tap, tap, tap on the door. The first thing to crack was Tommy’s jaw muscles, which began to twitch and flex rapidly as Maddie continued her annoying orchestra. Next his knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel tighter, but still he remained silent. Damn…

Ok then, Tommy. You haven’t seen anything yet. Maddie started to cluck her tongue in time with her tapping, the sound emulating a horse’s hooves clopping on cobblestones. Tommy took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring angrily as he exhaled. Yes, go on Tommy, tell me off.

‘Maddie,’ said Tommy with a dangerous undertone of annoyance. ‘What are you doing?’

Maddie mentally fist pumped the air at her success, smiling smugly and struggling to contain her laughter.

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ replied Maddie, now openly grinning and no longer bothering to hide how much fun she was having. Tommy turned his head to Maddie, hitting her with his glare yet again. She met his glare and raised her eyebrow indignantly, acting like she really didn’t know what Tommy was talking about. They held eye contact, each waiting for the other to lose their nerve. Maddie could feel the laughter at the situation building in her chest, she wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face much longer.

Sure enough, laughter quickly erupted from Maddie and she collapsed into a fit of giggles, bringing her knees to her chest as she struggled to breathe as the laughter forced the air from her lungs. Tommy gave her a puzzled expression before returning his sight on the road.

‘What’s so funny?’ he asked evenly, his deep voice returning to its usual monotone.

‘I’m sorry Tommy. I was just winding you up,’ explained Maddie, gasping for air. ‘I’m just so fucking bored!’

Tommy gave a nod and Maddie spotted a smirk on his lips before he spoke.

‘I never would have guessed.’

‘Ha. Ha,’ droned Maddie, lifting her body up to sit up straight with a huff.

‘It’s not much further. Half an hour,’ said Tommy, turning to give her a genuine smile. Sensing that Tommy seemed to be in a better mood, Maddie decided to try her luck.

‘Well can we at least play a game or something?’ 

Tommy laughed his not-actually-amused laugh before sighing, ‘What kind of game?’

‘I spy?’ Tommy looked at Maddie blankly, evidently not familiar with the game. ‘We play it at home during car journeys. I’ll start.’

Maddie crossed her legs on the car seat and proceeded to look out of the window, seeking inspiration for something for Tommy to guess. They were currently surrounded by fields and hedges, all very easy to guess. But then in the distance Maddie spotted a group of buildings that made up a farm.

‘I spy with my little eye, something beginning with B,’ she sang happily, turning to Tommy to await his guesses. He responded with barely a second’s hesitation.

‘Barn.’

Maddie’s face dropped, her mouth opening in an O, shutting it quickly before Tommy could notice. Of course, he would guess it first time, he’s Tommy fucking Shelby. Maddie made an irritated snorting noise, looking away from the smug bastard.

‘Beginner’s luck,’ she grumbled.

Tommy chuckled a deep sexy chuckle before stating, ‘My turn.’ His eyes scanned the horizon once before he spoke again. ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with M.’

‘Mud.’

‘No.’

‘Maple tree.’

‘Nope.’

‘Money.’

‘No.’

‘Magpie.’

‘No.’

‘Me, Maddie?’

‘No.’

Maddie huffed and sat back in her chair, now in a sulk. Why on earth did she think it was a good idea to play car games with Tommy?

‘I give up,’ said Maddie, throwing her hands up in the air.

‘Myself,’ said Tommy, smirking smugly at his genius reveal.

‘That’s cheating! You can’t say ‘myself’.’

Tommy turned to Maddie with his eyebrow raised, giving her a ‘really?’ look. Maddie sighed before laughing at herself. She’d just made Tommy play I Spy, like she was bloody twelve. Maddie told Tommy she was done with annoying him and with suggesting shitty car games and would try her best to sit quietly for the rest of the journey. Tommy turned to look at Maddie with softness before he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket. He pulled out something that Maddie couldn’t make out as his hand wrapped all the way around it.

‘Here,’ Tommy said, holding his hand out towards Maddie who held her palm face up under it. ‘This should keep you entertained.’ He dropped something heavy and metal into Maddie’s hand; she immediately scrutinised it and realised it was a butterfly knife. It was made of a high-quality silver metal that glinted dangerously as the light hit it.

‘Thanks,’ said Maddie. Tommy had certainly gotten to know her well, the best gifts she received were always weapons.

‘A leaving present. I’ve had it since the war, but I could never get the hang of it.’

As Tommy spoke, Maddie began to do tricks with the knife. She flipped it around her wrists and threw it between her hands expertly, the knife making metallic ringing sounds as the blade slid against the handles. Tommy huffed a laugh as he watched her.

‘But you definitely have.’

***

‘So, you don’t have any idea who I’m fighting?’ questioned Maddie as she and Tommy walked through a building that was apparently a bakery, lead along by a slight Jewish boy named Ollie. For a bakery, this place smells an awful lot like alcohol, thought Maddie.

‘No. But we will soon find out,’ grunted Tommy as he walked alongside Maddie. 

When Tommy had driven them into London, specifically Camden Town, Maddie was in awe at how different the city looked compared to her time. She had only visited London twice before, but it was enough to remember that the future London will be far vaster than the one she was currently driving through. Maddie had looked inquisitively at Tommy as they pulled up to the large factory building with ‘Aeriated Bread Company’ written on a large sign above the door. She had never heard of boxing matches being held in a bakery.

Maddie and Tommy were led to an office at the end of a long room filled with huge barrels and Maddie clocked as to where the alcohol smell was coming from. This place must have been a front for a booze distillery; Maddie vaguely remembered reading about places like this in history. Places that she had also read that the Shelby’s were occasionally involved in. As they reached the office door Maddie noticed the name on the front of it: ‘Alfie Solomons’. The name rang a bell, but Maddie couldn’t conjure up any specific information about the name. She was just going to have to go off her instincts on this one. 

Ollie knocked on the door as Maddie looked up at Tommy. He turned his gaze to her and ducked his chin down and up again slowly in a subtle nod. She knew it was a signal for her to be on her guard. Maddie lifted her head up higher as she heard a gruff voice call for them to enter from inside the office. Ollie opened the door and gestured for her and Tommy to follow.

Maddie stepped into a tremendously gaudy but equally as messy office. The decorations and assortments that filled the office were expensive and tasteful although they were scattered around the room haphazardly and looked like they hadn’t been dusted in a decade. The resulting effect was rather chaotic with the addition of hundreds of pieces of paper pilled and littered over almost every surface. It was a stark contrast to Tommy’s office which was pristine and organised in every manner. 

Maddie’s eyes fell on the man they had come to see, sat behind the desk. The surface of which was obscured by a mass of clutter. He had mousy brown hair and beard that covered his head and face. She noticed the skin of his face and neck was cracked and blistered, as was the skin on his hands. The man’s clothes were scruffy, signifying that no attempt had been made on his part to look presentable. Another stark contrast to Tommy. Despite these obvious features, the man radiated a dangerous air or power and influence, and he hadn’t even spoken yet. So, this must be Alfie Solomons, thought Maddie.

Alfie’s brow was furrowed as he looked down at a piece of paper on his desk, gold rimmed spectacles balanced on his nose. He made no sign of acknowledging Maddie and Tommy’s entrance and the room fell silent as they waited for Alfie to speak.

‘Er Alfie, It’s Mr Shelby and his accomplice,’ announced Ollie after several seconds silence. Maddie bristled slightly at being referred to as an accomplice but brushed it off, she hadn’t actually told anyone here her name yet after all. Alfie continued to look down at his paper but lifted one hand up slowly to waft it at Ollie as an order that he was dismissed. Ollie bowed his head down before turning to leave.

As the door shut, Alfie finally looked up at who was in his office and his gaze landed squarely on Maddie. He looked her up and down before locking his eyes with hers. Like Tommy, Alfie had a piercing stare that she knew must intimidate most who met him. But Alfie’s eyes were dark, almost black from a distance. Maddie got a distinct sense that Alfie was dangerous, and most definitely a bit crazy.

‘And who’s this lovely thing you’ve brought with you today Tom?’ asked Alfie finally, his cockney voice low and gravelly as he indicated to Maddie.

‘My name’s Maddie,’ stated Maddie, feeling anger at being talked about like she wasn’t able to speak for herself. She couldn’t see it, but Maddie sensed Tommy stiffen next to her as she spoke. Maddie however didn’t care and didn’t break eye contact with Alfie. If there was something Maddie had learned about Tommy’s world, it was that the men in it communicated by simple looks and dominance games. And she planned on winning this one with Alfie.

Alfie continued to stare back at her for a few seconds before a small almost imperceptible grin came onto his face.

‘Well Maddie certainly has spunk, doesn’t she?’ chuckled Alfie before turning his gaze to Tommy.

‘Hello Alfie,’ greeted Tommy. ‘I’m assuming everything is ready for the match.’ Typical Tommy style, he had gotten straight down to business.

‘Fuckin’ ell Tommy, it’s nice to see you too, how ya bin?’ chanted Alfie mockingly as he leaned back in his chair. ‘For god’s sake Tommy, it’s always bloody business with you innit?’

‘Is there ever anything else Alfie?’ replied Tommy, stepping forward towards two chairs that were in front of Alfie’s desk. Maddie followed and they both sat in front of Alfie as he scrutinised the two of them.

‘Now, Maddie luv, I’m assuming you know Tommy quite well to know that this man ere is fuckin insufferable, yeah? Comes into my office for the first time in months without so much of a how do you do? Can you believe that?’ said Alfie, waving a pointed finger between her and Tommy.

Maddie quirked her eyebrow up at Alfie, the man was certainly eccentric. She could sense the mood had relaxed slightly with Alfie’s joking tone so she nodded before replying, ‘I suppose he can be.’

Tommy got his cigarettes out and lit one as Alfie sat back in his chair as he considered Maddie’s non-committal answer. He looked between the two of them questioningly, no doubt trying to figure out the relationship between her and Tommy and why he had brought her along.

‘Is your fighter here?’ asked Tommy, now sounding inpatient as he puffed on his cigarette. 

‘Yeah, he should be ere shortly,’ replied Alfie. ‘And your stand in, Tom?’

Maddie kept her face as straight as possible, Tommy must not have told him that she was the replacement fighter, and he evidently hadn’t figured it out.

‘You’re looking at her,’ said Tommy flatly.

Alfie’s face didn’t move for several seconds until his eyes slowly craned back over to Maddie, now regarding her with a more critical eye.

‘I don’t know how much whiskey you’ve been drinking Tommy, but you do realise that she is a woman, right?’

Maddie felt a furious heat burn under her skin at Alfie’s question. She admitted that she should have expected it, women didn’t box in the 1920’s, let alone win matches. Which was what Maddie was supposed to do that evening in order to win Tommy money through bets. Everyone will bet on her opponent so when she wins, Tommy will make a profit. Or that was her understanding of it anyway.

‘I can assure you Alfie, she’s more than capable,’ said Tommy.

‘You’ve got that right,’ added Maddie, now visibly irked by Alfie’s attitude.

Alfie ignored her and stood up, walking around his desk to lean on the corner of it nearest to Maddie.

‘No offence darlin’ but as lovely as you are, I’d give you ten seconds if that against my bloke,’ he said, gesturing his arm up and down Maddie. She heard Tommy sigh next to her as she glared at Alfie, only managing to keep herself from balling her fists up on her lap. 

Maddie’s stare was broken as the office door was opened and a she heard a pair of heavy footsteps thud into the room.

‘Speak of the devil,’ muttered Alfie, standing back up to go over to the person who entered the room.

Maddie and Tommy stood and turned simultaneously to look at her would be opponent. What greeted them was a colossal brick of a man. Maddie estimated he was about six foot ten. He had a square angry looking face and black hair, and his nose looked as though it had been broken several times as it pointed sharply to the left. Maddie felt confident that she could knock the brute out in one punch, but that unfortunately wasn’t the plan.

‘This,’ said Alfie, slapping the huge man on the back. ‘Is Hercules. The great Greek hero of legend. Hercules, this is Maddie. Your opponent.’

Hercules looked down at Maddie before beginning to laugh a deep booming laugh, looking at her in disbelief. 

‘I want to fight real opponent,’ shouted Hercules, stepping up to Maddie and looking down at her. He towered above her like a big lumbering ogre and Maddie simply looked back at him unimpressed. In fact, she smirked as she attempted not to laugh at Hercules’ poor grasp of the English language. What he possessed in stature, he more than lacked in brains.

‘Alright, Hercules. Steady on mate yeah?’ said Alfie as he pulled Hercules away a step. ‘Apparently, this little lady is more than a match for ya.’

Alfie’s voice dripped with sarcasm and insult. Maddie was one step away from knocking both of the men out and sacking off the boxing match. But thankfully Tommy came to her rescue.

‘Six o’clock start?’ asked Tommy, locking eyes with Alfie.

Alfie ran his fingers over his beard as he looked from Tommy to Maddie and back again before slowly nodding, ‘Yeah. Boxing club down the road.’

‘Good, come on Maddie,’ said Tommy as he put his hand on her back to lead her out. Maddie stared daggers into Alfie and Hercules as she was walked out of the room led by Tommy. As soon as he shut the door behind him, Maddie looked up at him as he let the stress of the interaction show on his face momentarily, his facial muscles flexing anxiously. 

‘Is Alfie always like that?’ asked Maddie quietly once they were a few steps away from the office.

‘Yes,’ sighed Tommy, pulling his hat out of his pocket and putting it back on his head.

‘Can I punch him?’ asked Maddie hopefully.

‘No.’

***

Tommy pulled the car up outside a grand four-story London townhouse, which according to him was home to Ada. Maddie was itching to see the Shelby sister. She had been looking forward to it for the past few days, even if it would be the last opportunity she was going to have to see her. Tommy got out of the car and got their overnight bags out of the back as Maddie went up to knock on the front door. 

Ada answered the door and smiled on seeing Maddie’s face. She pulled Maddie into a hug on the doorstep before ushering her and Tommy inside.

Ada’s house was pristine and tasteful, expensive artwork and decorative pieces filled the walls and surfaces. She definitely had the best sense of taste of everyone in the family. Ada showed Maddie to her room for the night, the last bed she would sleep in before going home. Tommy was left in the living room with a glass of whiskey. Once they were in the room, Ada shut the door behind them.

‘So, tell me. When did you give into my brother’s irresistible charms?’

Maddie grimaced, of course Polly had told Ada about her and Tommy. Maddie really wasn’t in the mood for another lecture, least of all from Ada. But when Maddie turned to look at her, she saw that she had a teasing smile on her face. Maddie laughed, and shook her head.

‘In all honesty. Probably on the day I got here,’ sighed Maddie truthfully. 

‘That’s what I thought.’ Ada sat on the bed and tapped the mattress next to her in an invite for Maddie to sit. ‘Polly owes me ten quid.’

Maddie laughed as she dropped onto the bed beside Ada, not at all surprised that Ada and Pol had put a bet on whether Maddie would fall for Tommy. Ada took Maddie’s hand in hers and gave her a sympathetic smile.

‘He’s going to miss you, you know,’ said Ada. ‘I saw the way he looked at you when you got here. I don’t think he even realises how much you mean to him.’

Maddie gave Ada a sceptical look, she wasn’t sure that Tommy’s feelings for her were that intense. She also didn’t want to hear this the night before she was supposed to go home, it would only make it ten times harder. But Ada kept her face serious, obviously convinced she was right. She is right Maddie, you fool, realising that Tommy meant a lot to her too.

‘The slayer who fell for the gangster. I should write a book,’ laughed Maddie, Ada laughing along with her at her silly joke.

They went back downstairs together, striking up a conversation about Maddie’s adventures as they joined Tommy in the living room. She told Ada about her work for the gang, including her injury she sustained during the pub brawl. Ada’s eyebrows climbed toward her hairline as she told her story about getting the glass in her hands and how it was nothing serious. She conveniently left out the part about Tommy sewing her hands back together and the erotic scenes that followed. Tommy remained silent as he listened to Maddie relive her time in 1924. Maddie spotted him watching her as he smoke and drank in his armchair.

After a while of chatting avidly with Ada, Tommy cleared his throat and stood up before checking his watch.

‘Apologies Ada, but Maddie and I should get going.’

Ada smiled and stood, pulling Maddie into another hug. She squeezed tightly before whispering into Maddie’s ear, ‘I know you won’t let me down, Mads. I’ll be waiting for you to tell me about it when you get back.’

‘Can’t you come and watch?’ pleaded Maddie.

‘Sorry I can’t,’ she replied, withdrawing from the hug. ‘I have to watch Karl.’

Maddie and Tommy left Ada’s less than an hour after they arrived. Maddie hadn’t realised how late in the afternoon it had been, regretting that she didn’t have more time to catch up with Ada. Tommy drove them back to Camden and to the boxing club Alfie had mentioned, the building a lot more well kempt than Maddie expected.

As Tommy led Maddie inside, they passed many men from a variety of backgrounds. Most were certainly working class, but some more well-off spectators were dotted amongst them. Maddie was relieved to see a few women amongst them, happy that this meant she wouldn’t get questioning looks from the people they passed. Although that would soon change once she got into the ring. Tommy had obviously been there before as he led Maddie through the narrow corridors without pause, politely excusing himself as he pushed past various people. They turned a corner and Maddie saw a young man spot them before hurrying up to them.

‘Mr Shelby! I’ve got what you requested over the phone this morning in your changing room,’ the man said before casting Maddie a puzzled look.

‘Thank you,’ replied Tommy without breaking stride. The man stopped in the hallway briefly before walking away in the opposite direction.

They came to a door a little further down the corridor which Tommy opened and they both disappeared inside. The room was cold and bare, there was a sink in one corner with a couple of chairs and a bench, the only furniture that filled the little room. On the bench was a pile of clothes and a pair of white leather lace-up shoes. Maddie had wondered what she would be fighting in. She didn’t have anything already appropriate and realised that Tommy must have organised the clothes for her.  
Maddie went over to the pile of clothes as Tommy removed his coat and hat, placing them on a peg near the door. There were a pair of boxing shorts that looked about knee length in the pile, a vest that looked far too big and a pair of socks.

‘Do I really have to wear this?’

‘Mm-hm,’ responded Tommy as he ran a cigarette over his lips.

Maddie looked at Tommy, expecting him to leave so she could change. But instead he went and sat on one of the chairs in the room, the wood creaking under his weight.

‘Aren’t you at least going to turn whilst I change?’ Maddie asked, admittedly a little flirtatiously. She found she kind of liked the idea of Tommy watching her change. Although she’d have to make sure it didn’t end up with them all over each other when anyone could just walk in. Predictably, Tommy was thinking the same thing.

‘No,’ he said, a cheeky smirk appearing as he leant back in the chair, resting one hand on his leg whilst the other brought the cigarette to his lips. He sat with his legs apart, looking relaxed as he waited for Maddie to start stripping. She rolled her eyes at him, but she could feel the familiar tingly heat prickling between her legs as she regarded him as he sat there. Maddie didn’t answer him but started unbuttoning her blouse.

Maddie started off facing Tommy, watching him as she took her blouse off, letting it drop to the floor. His sharp blue eyes were fixed on her, she could see his pupils dilating despite being a few of feet away from him. Maddie felt her nipples begin to harden and rub against the silk of her bra, sending waves of arousal down her spine and between her legs. Tommy’s eyes darted to her chest to look at her nipples that were now pushing against the fabric, demanding to be seen. Maddie turned around quickly. If she continued to watch Tommy watch her, she was certain it would end up with her on his bloody lap.

Maddie continued to undress, pointedly avoiding Tommy’s gaze. She unbuttoned her skirt, letting that drop next to her blouse on the floor, leaving her stood in her underwear, stockings and heels. Maddie swallowed; she could now feel her skin flushing. She couldn’t hear any sounds from Tommy other than the occasional sound of him drawing on his cigarette as he watched. Maddie sat down on the bench, which involved her facing back toward Tommy again, but she made sure she focussed on her shoes which she unlaced quickly. As she slid her stockings and garters down her legs, Maddie heard Tommy shift in his chair. She smirked to herself, at least he was getting as aroused as she was by this experience.

Maddie stood up, now bereft of everything but her bra and knickers and grabbed the hideous shorts she needed to wear. She heard Tommy stand up and stub his cigarette out on the floor before his footsteps approached her. Maddie held her breath but continued to fiddle with the strap of the waistband of the shorts, pretending not to have heard Tommy get up. She felt the heat of his body behind her first, followed by the rough skin of his hands on her waist. Maddie gasped, flinching a little before turning to face Tommy.

His expression was practically ravenous. Now she was up close, Maddie saw that Tommy’s pupils were so dilated that only a thin ring of blue could be seen circling them. Oh, god this isn’t going to end well, thought Maddie. But before she could say something to stop him, Tommy smashed his lips to hers, grabbing her by the ass and pulling her flush against him with need. Maddie’s heart raced as she kissed him back, only half-heartedly trying to push Tommy away as she felt his erect cock against her pelvic bone. She sighed into his mouth, her clit now throbbing in desperation.

Two thoughts went through Maddie’s mind as Tommy grabbed at her body, one of his hands going into and grasping a handful of her hair. One, going into a boxing match obviously sex frazzled wasn’t a good idea and Maddie needed to stop this before it went too far. Two, ah… fuck it!

Maddie grabbed the lapels of Tommy’s jacket and pushed them backwards over his shoulders. She would be damned if she was going to fuck Tommy whilst he was fully clothed and she was in her underwear. Tommy took over removing his jacket, throwing it to the floor before Maddie started to unbutton his vest. They kept their lips connected as Maddie hastily but clumsily tried to undress Tommy, the kiss making her head swim and her thoughts become hazy with lust.

Fate definitely wasn’t on their side that evening. As Maddie managed to finish undoing Tommy’s vest there was a loud knock at the door and Maddie came rushing back to senses, jerking back from Tommy and panting rapidly.

‘Mr Shelby? Your fighter is needed in the ring in two minutes,’ came a voice from the other side of the door.

‘Alright!’ yelled Tommy, sighing in frustration at the rude interruption. He immediately turned back to Maddie and attempted to pull her back to him, but she pushed against his chest with both hands shaking her head and smiling.

‘No, Tommy. I should get out there, preferably with a clear head,’ laughed Maddie, apologising to Tommy through her eyes. He exhaled through his nose before running his hand through his hair and down his face before nodding reluctantly and clearing his throat gruffly.

‘Okay.’

Maddie picked up the shorts and started to put them on as Tommy straightened himself up. Maddie took some deep breaths to slow her heart rate and suppress the lust that was still throbbing between her thighs. The last thing she needed was people suspecting she’d been fooling around in the changing rooms, even if that was exactly what she had been doing.

The shorts fit but only just, Maddie had to tighten them as much as possible around her waist so they wouldn’t fall down. The vest was too big completely but at least stayed in position once she tucked it into her shorts. Finally, Maddie put the socks and shoes on before turning to Tommy who was now fully dressed again, showing no sign that anything just occurred.

‘What do you think?’

Tommy looked up and regarded Maddie. He looked her up and down before smiling, pursing his lips together as though he wanted to laugh.

‘I look ridiculous, don’t I?’ groaned Maddie. Great, not only were the audience going to laugh at her for being a girl, but now also for her outfit.

Tommy let out a laugh, not just a small huff but a genuine, loud laugh that made Maddie stare at him in disbelief. After all the effort to get Tommy to laugh over the past two weeks, it turns out all she needed to do was wear some ill-fitting clothes.

‘I admit, I prefer you without the kit,’ said Tommy, his lips settling into a smug smile. ‘Come on, it’s game time.’

‘Er, don’t I need gloves?’ asked Maddie as she followed Tommy out of the dressing room.

Tommy didn’t answer and continued to lead Maddie towards the ring where Maddie could hear the crowd chattering loudly. They reached a large door where two men were waiting for them. When they spotted Maddie, the two men looked at each other and sniggered. When her and Tommy reached them, Maddie made sure to look unbothered by their laughter.

‘So, it is true. The Peaky boy has brought a little girl to fight Hercules,’ one of the men said, snorting loudly and looking at Maddie with distaste.

‘You her seconds?’ asked Tommy, ignoring the man’s statement. Their faces dropped and they shifted uncomfortably, feeling intimidated by Tommy’s glare Maddie suspected. They both nodded and Maddie then noticed one of them holding boxing gloves. Tommy then jerked his head towards Maddie in instruction.

The man with the gloves came up to her and instructed her to hold her hands out which she did. He smelled of sweat and BO, making Maddie wrinkle her nose. He put the gloves on Maddie’s hands and tightened them well around her wrists. Meanwhile the other man turned to Tommy.

‘What’s the fighters name?’

‘Maddie Chapman,’ said Tommy.

‘Nickname?’

Tommy turned his head to Maddie silently in a question. They hadn’t come up with a nickname as part of their preparation for the match, so she thought on her feet.

‘The Slayer,’ said Maddie confidently. Tommy looked at Maddie with a raised eyebrow and she shrugged back at him apologetically in response.

The man raised his eyebrow at her before smirking and turning to the large door which he opened a crack to repeat Maddie’s name to a man on the other side. He turned back to them and asked if they were ready. Maddie nodded and went to stand in front of the door, waiting for it to open. BO man walked up beside her and held up a rather manky looking gum guard which Maddie was sure was pre-used.

‘I’d rather crawl though a river of shit than put that in my mouth,’ she spat bitterly.

‘Your funeral,’ he mumbled before putting the rancid thing back in his pocket.

Tommy came to stand beside Maddie as the sound of the commentator’s voice began to address the crowd on the other side of the door.

‘When we walk out just look straight ahead and up at Hercules. Ignore the crowd. They’re not there alright?’ he whispered to Maddie.

‘Okay, Tommy,’ she whispered back.

Maddie listened as the commentator announced Hercules onto the ring, the crowd cheering for him raucously. She took a deep breath, the moment seeming to last much longer than it actually did as she awaited the door to open.

‘Aaaannnd in the red corner, give it up for Maddie ‘The Slayer’ Chapman!’

The doors opened and Maddie was hit with a blinding light and the most deafening silence she’d ever heard. Which was saying something since she spent ninety percent of her time in graveyards. Maddie despite the assault on her eyes started to walk forward into the large room towards the ring which now came into view. Her eyes adjusted as she approached it and spotted Hercules stood eyeing her down from above. Maddie did as Tommy instructed and kept her eyes on Hercules although she could see some audience members out of the corners of her eyes gawping at her as if she were an hallucination. She went up the steps and ducked under the ropes as Tommy and her two seconds sat in their places in her corner.

The referee took Maddie’s hand and held it up before dropping it. By this point the crowd had begun to boo and hiss at Maddie. Now over the shock of seeing a woman walk out, Maddie assumed they were now expressing their anger at what they assumed was going to be a short match. Maddie imagined herself in their position and conceded that she would be pissed if she saw a mammoth and a tiny woman in the ring; she’d question it as well. Boy, were they in for a surprise.

The ref made Maddie and Hercules face off before instructing them to stand in their starting positions. Maddie took up her stance, bringing her hands up in a block position as the crowd started to quieten down. Hercules didn’t even bother to bring his hands up to block; he must have thought that he could end the match in one punch. Ha.

Then the bell rang, and the match began. Hercules immediately swung a haymaker at Maddie which she saw coming a mile off. She ducked, dodging it easily before strafing round to the right. Hercules turned to follow Maddie, an expression of confusion on his face at her proficient dodge. Maddie weighed up the idea of punching his lights out in one punch but decided that riling the oaf up would be more fun. 

Maddie spent the first minute dodging and dancing around Hercules, occasionally blocking a few of his jabs for variety; but it only elicited unsatisfied boos from the audience. Tommy had told Maddie to make the match last for least eight rounds before taking the guy out. Not only that but she needed to let her opponent get some seemingly good hits in or the crowd would get suspicious.

Hercules’ movements were heavy handed and slow, Maddie realised that she could put herself in his path just enough so his gloves would connect to wherever she wanted whilst making it look genuine. She stepped forward and jabbed him sharply in the ribs but with barely any force, Hercules retuned the jab and Maddie let her face enter his path so that his glove glanced off her cheek. Maddie did a stumbling step backwards as the crowd cheered, finally happy that contact had been made. Hercules advanced again and Maddie let him punch her in the gut three times before blocking him and connecting her glove to his face, this time with a decent amount of force. His head flung to the side and he bought his hands up to block instinctively. The crowd made a noise of astonishment as Maddie resumed her circling around him just before the bell rang again to signal the round was over.

Maddie went to sit in her corner where Tommy and her seconds were waiting. The crowd murmured amongst themselves, pointing at Maddie angrily. Bookies were walking around the crowd and taking bets on the outcome, just what Tommy wanted. Maddie looked at her second who held up a glass of water for her to sip but she shook her head. The other came up with a towel only to discover that she didn’t have a drop of sweat on her and retreated, looking bewildered.

‘You’re doing good, Maddie,’ came Tommy’s voice from behind her. She looked down to see him looking up at her from between the ropes. ‘Try to work up a sweat or we’ll start losing bets.’

The ref signalled for them to get back in the ring and Maddie got up to meet her opponent again. She looked over into Hercules’ corner to see Alfie staring at her. His face was serious as he regarded Maddie in a whole different way than he had in the office. He must have now realised that there was more to Maddie than meets the eye. The bell then sounded again, and Maddie ramped up the pressure on Hercules. She moved faster and more aggressively, now starting to sweat and look like more of a boxer, despite her frame and stature.

Rounds went by and the crowd grew more aggravated with each one. Hercules swung at her in frustration, some punches Maddie let collide with her. The rough seams of his gloves left scratches on Maddie’s arms and face, further adding to the realism. Maddie made sure however that he got his fair share, landing her punches perfectly and even making Hercules tire at one point causing her to have to back off a bit. Five, six, seven rounds went by and before long the eighth round began. The round where she could finally knock the fucker out.

Maddie now dropped all pretence of struggling with the fight in any way, wanting to give the audience a show they wouldn’t forget. She let her arms hang limp by her sides as Hercules threw a barrage of punches at her. Maddie simply stepped from side to side, his gloves missing her by miles. She taunted him like this for two minutes until she saw that the guy was really pissed off. She saw him ready for another advance and she considered her options. The man was too tall for her to uppercut straight in the jaw from her height, so she needed to jab him in the gut first.

Hercules made what would be his final steps toward to Maddie, bringing his right arm back as he did so, leaving his body wide open. Stupid oaf. Maddie’s gloved fist connected with his abdomen with the most force she’s given so far. Maddie heard the air fly out of his lungs as he keeled forward in agony. Then she drew her arm down and, with even more force, socked Hercules in the jaw in an uppercut. 

Hercules flew backwards into the air, his arms flailing wildly before he crashed into floor with a loud thud. The room went silent instantaneously; so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The ref stared at Maddie in shock, so overwhelmed that he forgot to count Hercules out. Not that it was necessary, the giant was out cold. Maddie walked up to the ref who recoiled from her slightly as she approached.

‘I think you’re supposed to hold up my arm now,’ she whispered to him. He swallowed before grasping Maddie’s glove and raising it above her head. There were no cheers from the crowd. In this, moment Maddie wished that the Shelby’s were there. They would be making a proper racket for her right about now. The ref dropped Maddie’s hand and she walked over to her corner as Hercules’ seconds came on to drag him out of the ring.

Maddie ducked under the ropes and jumped down to where the seconds and Tommy were standing. Tommy smiled and congratulated her on her victory as Maddie held her hands out to BO man to remove her gloves for her. The man just stared at her in bewilderment, seemingly frozen to the spot. The room had started to murmur dangerously around them as angry patrons began to come to terms with loosing their money. Maddie jerked her hands angrily towards him again and he finally snapped out of it and unlaced them, Maddie quickly pulling her hands out of the sweaty leather.

‘Can we get out of here now?’ Maddie asked Tommy.

He nodded and allowed her to lead the way back to the changing room and away from the angry crowd that stared her down all the way out of the door.

Once they were inside the changing room, Maddie allowed herself to breathe. She shook her arms out and stretched her neck from side to side to ease the adrenaline out of her system. The fight hadn’t been hard, in fact it had been one of the easiest fights she’d had. But having the eyes of the crowd, Alfie Solomons and the match staff constantly fixed on her had made her nervous. Having that many people watch your every move was uncomfortable at best, especially for someone like Maddie who was used to working alone and hidden in the shadows. Nevertheless, punching that giant’s light out was an experience Maddie wouldn’t trade for anything.

‘Well that was fun,’ said Maddie, turning to smile victoriously at Tommy.

‘That was quite the knock-out,’ he stated, lighting up a cigarette.

Maddie turned to her normal clothes and began to eagerly strip herself of her costume, not caring this time whether Tommy was watching or not. As she pulled the vest over her head, she caught a whiff of a horrendous sweaty odour. Maddie knew she stank to high heaven; she recognised the smell of her sweaty armpits, but this stench was emanating from her hands. It must be the gloves, she thought as she quivered with repulsion at the thought that she had her hands in a pair of manky, used boxing gloves. Tommy must have also picked up on Maddie’s new perfume as he kept to himself in the corner of the room.

Maddie could feel that her underwear was saturated with sweat, making it rub against her skin uncomfortably. She wanted to rip them off, but she didn’t want to tempt Tommy into another incident like the one earlier. After removing her shorts, Maddie went over to the sink which also had a mirror above it so she could assess her reflection. There were a couple of grazes on her face and arms as well as a smattering of bruises. She picked up a towel that was hung on the edge of the sink, wetting it and methodically began to clean her various scrapes. Maddie saw Tommy in the mirror, watching her as she quickly cleaned herself up.

‘You’ve had worse scrapes since you’ve been here,’ he joked.

‘If only you could see the states I come home in after patrol back home,’ laughed Maddie, but Tommy’s face changed to a more serious one and she remembered how much of a fuss he made about her hands a few days ago. ‘Actually. Maybe it’s best you don’t think about that.’

Maddie quickly pulled her regular clothes back on, thankful that she now looked more like herself and less like a child swamped in a tent. Just as she laced up her shoes, there was a knock at the door before it was opened without assent from her or Tommy. Alfie walked in, wearing a hat and jacket, evidently on his way out of the building.

‘Alfie?’ questioned Tommy, staring the man down as he entered.

‘I thought I’d stop by to congratulate you on your victory,’ said Alfie, looking to Maddie. ‘You fought back against some damning odd’s there didn’t ya?’

Maddie smiled at him sarcastically, ‘Thank you. Sometimes the odds don’t always represent the real picture.’

Alfie chuckled at her witty response and nodded before tipping his hat to her

‘It was very nice meeting you Maddie,’ he said, turning to leave. ‘Oh, and I’ll see you on Monday Tom,’ jabbing his finger at Tommy before walking out into the corridor.

‘I really don’t know how you’ve managed to do business with that nutcase,’ commented Maddie as she heard Alfie’s heavy footsteps retreat down the corridor. Tommy grunted in response as he went to put his coat and hat on.

Tommy led Maddie out through a side exit into a narrow alleyway so they could avoid the angry crowd. They got back to the car unnoticed and began their drive back to Ada’s. Maddie was dying for a bath. Within five minutes of sitting in the car the cabin started to smell of her new sweaty scent, and Maddie noticed Tommy was trying not to look bothered by the smell.

When they got back, Ada confirmed Maddie’s insecurity and immediately covered her nose as Maddie walked through the front door.

‘Oh wow, what is that smell?’ she asked.

‘It’s me,’ grumbled Maddie. She saw Ada trying not to laugh and threw her an exasperated look.

‘There’s a bath ready for you upstairs,’ said Ada with a loving smile.

‘You are an angel!’ squeaked Maddie before she took off at a sprint up the stairs to her room, leaving Tommy and Ada in her dust.

She wrenched her clothes off again, this time with her underwear as well. Her bare skin finally able to breathe as she kicked the clothes across the floor. Maddie could smell the inviting scent of rose that came from the piping hot bath in front of the fire and wasted no time in submerging herself in the water. She grabbed the brush next to the bath and scrubbed at her hands and nails to rid herself of the smell. After a few minutes there came a knock on the door.

‘Maddie? It’s Ada.’

‘Come in!’ called Maddie. Ada entered and went to sit on the bed as Maddie continued to scrub.

‘Tommy says it was an undisputed success,’ said Ada, smiling widely.

‘Success yes, but I’m not so sure about the undisputed part. The men who lost their money were definitely disputing the result.’

‘I’m not surprised. The people we took bets from back home were rarely happy,’ chuckled Ada. ‘But you showed them something that’s worth more than all the money they lost.’

Maddie smiled; she hadn’t considered that her fight could be seen as a statement. A declaration that women are stronger than they look and shouldn’t be messed with. Maddie described the details of the fight to Ada, who laughed hysterically at Maddie’s retelling of the ending. Soon, Ada announced that she would leave Maddie in peace and left the room. Maddie let herself relax in the hot rose water for a while, letting it permeate her skin as much as possible. She felt her eyelids being pulled down more and more as she sat, looking over at the small clock on the bedside table she saw that it was nearly midnight. Maddie grumbled and lifted herself out of the bath and towelled herself off before putting on the nightdress she’d brought with her.

Maddie delved to the bottom of her overnight bag and pulled out her outfit from home. The one she had arrived in when she was blasted through time. She lifted the crop top to her nose and breathed in, it still smelt like home. Tomorrow she would be back there, surrounded by her friends and TV and takeaway and her playstation. Maddie felt excitement stir inside her at the thought, although she still felt sad about leaving her new family behind. About leaving Tommy behind. Maddie shut her eyes and sighed, why did he have to come along and make things so difficult for her? Bloody nuisance, she thought although she felt herself smiling just at the thought of Tommy and the moments they’d shared together. Another knock rapped on the door behind Maddie, and just like the devil himself, Tommy entered without waiting for Maddie to respond.

He had his shirt sleeves rolled up, his tie had also been removed and his top button was undone. He carried two glasses of whiskey, one of which he held out to Maddie as he came to stand in front of her. 

‘I could have been naked in here you know,’ teased Maddie, rolling her eyes at Tommy’s forwardness as she took the glass from him and eyed it suspiciously. He knew she didn’t like whiskey; she remembered the last time she tasted it and cringed at the memory.

Tommy raised an eyebrow at her before replying, ‘A drink to your victory,’ he said raising his glass towards Maddie’s. ‘And to our successful partnership together.’

Maddie laughed and clinked her glass to his before bringing it to her lips, deciding to give the whiskey another try before deciding it wasn’t for her. The liquid hit her tongue and she felt its burn as a mouthful of it filled her mouth and scorched its path down her throat. Maddie grimaced, pursing her lips together. She managed not to cough, which was a significant improvement from last time and admitted that it tasted slightly better the second time around. Maddie didn’t even have to look to know that Tommy was smiling at her reaction to the alcohol. If she were him, she definitely would have laughed too. Maddie threw him an annoyed look before putting her glass down on the bedside table.

‘Maybe slayers aren’t so tough if they can’t even finish a glass of whiskey, eh?’ taunted Tommy devilishly, smirking as he brought the rim of his glass to his sexy bloody lips.

Maddie squinted at him in annoyance, the bloody cheek of him. Huffing she snatched the glass back off the table before downing the glass in one, tilting her head back to allow the whiskey to pour straight down her throat. This time Maddie couldn’t hold in the coughing, and she spluttered into her hand as her throat stung horribly. Tommy’s eyebrows raised and he nodded, impressed.

‘I stand corrected.’

A silence fell between them and Maddie’s skin started to crawl with anticipation. She knew it was unlikely that Tommy had come to her room at midnight just to share a toast. And now she was stood there in nothing but her nightdress, in her room alone with Tommy. He held eye contact with her a moment before his gaze flitted to look at something behind her.

‘Were you planning on wearing that tomorrow?’ he asked, pointing to the bed. Maddie turned to see he was pointing at her clothes from home. They both turned to look at the brightly coloured outfit which was laid out on the bed.

‘No. But there’s no way I’m leaving them behind. That cost me thirty quid!’ exclaimed Maddie, pointing at the crop top. Tommy picked up the miniscule piece of fabric, dangling it on his index finger as he inspected it with a scowl.  
‘This cost thirty pounds?’ he questioned in disbelief. Of course, Maddie had forgotten that thirty quid in 1924 was like… five hundred pounds. Maybe that was an exaggeration, but she knew it was a lot of money anyway.

‘It’s not as expensive as you think. It would probably be the equivalent of a few, what are the called? Shillings or something,’ explained Maddie, not wanting Tommy to think that she’d spend so much on just a tiny bit of fabric.

Tommy huffed out a laugh before dropping the top on the bed. He finished the rest of his whiskey in one quick gulp and turned to Maddie to take her glass that she was still holding. Tommy put the glasses on the bedside table before turning back to her. He looked into Maddie’s eyes, a softness settling on his features before he bought his hands up to cup her face. Why were his eyes so damn hypnotising? Maddie pondered this as she found herself unable to break her eyes away from his. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, the pads of his thumbs brushing her cheekbones softly. Maddie lifted her own hands up to touch his face with her fingers as well. She traced his cheekbone and then up to his forehead, carrying on until she could run her fingers through the long hair on top of his head. Maddie heard Tommy hum quietly and she started to feel the denied arousal from earlier that evening begin to make its presence known. 

Maddie went to caress the shaved part of Tommy’s head; she had discovered that she enjoyed the feeling of it on her skin. She hummed in pleasure at the sensation as they pulled apart, drawing in much needed air. Tommy’s eyes bore into hers before they flickered around her face, as if taking in her features and memorising them.

‘How do you want to spend your last night here Maddie?’ whispered Tommy huskily, brushing his lips against Maddie’s agonisingly. His accent sounded thicker than normal as he spoke, and it sent a shiver down Maddie’s spine.

Maddie knew what he meant. He was asking if she wanted him to stay the night with her. Maddie had never felt so tempted in her whole life. Every fibre of her body was saying yes, begging for her to throw the man onto the bed and have her way with him. After all the missed opportunities they’d had, there now wasn’t anything to stop them. But at the back of Maddie’s mind, the same part that she had ignored the last time she had her heart broken, was screaming at her to stop. The pain Maddie had been through over the past nine years as a slayer was more than most people would be able to bear, and this part of her mind was worried that sleeping with Tommy would make the pain of leaving him too much.

Maddie sighed before kissing Tommy again and withdrawing back to look him in the eyes again. 

‘I want you to stay Tommy. But I’m afraid if you do it’ll make things too hard for both of us,’ choked Maddie, her voice catching on the sticky saliva in her throat. 

Tommy sighed and looked down at his feet, his eyes closing as he continued to hold onto Maddie’s face.

‘I know,’ he finally said, looking back up to meet Maddie’s eyes. ‘I just wish there was a way…’ Tommy trailed off, swallowing his words. Maddie knew he wanted her to stay in 1924, but she couldn’t. They both knew it. He pressed his lips to hers again in a small gentle peck before stepping away, picking up the two whiskey glasses from the table and opening the bedroom door.

‘Goodnight,’ he said as he left the room.

Maddie buried her face in her hands as she fought back tears as soon as Tommy shut the door behind him. What the hell had she gotten herself into? Falling in love with someone she could never be with. Was that what this was? Love? Maddie forced the idea from her mind, she can’t love Tommy Shelby when tomorrow will be the last day that she would see his face. That just wasn’t fair.

Maddie grabbed the butterfly knife that Tommy had given her from her bag before throwing herself into the bed. She fiddled with the blade, unable to get the image of Tommy’s face out of her head as she waited for sleep to take her.

***

‘Are you sure we’re in the right place?’ asked Tommy impatiently as Maddie scrutinised the buildings on the street, looking for any signs of the Watcher’s Council.

Maddie huffed angrily; Tommy had constantly questioned her all morning about finding the Watcher’s Council and it was beginning to get on her nerves. Maddie knew it was on Regent Street in Carnaby but other than that she had no idea where it was. She had never visited it with the place no longer existing in her time for nearly twenty years. Tommy had soon picked up that she didn’t in fact know where she was going and had thrown suggestions at her as they paced up and down Regent Street for half an hour.

‘Yes, Tommy. I’m sure,’ said Maddie through gritted teeth. She was glad to have Tommy with her, his support would be more than needed once Maddie needed to talk to the watchers, but she could do without his constant questions.

They had awoken early that morning, a large breakfast greeting Maddie when she got downstairs. Ada’s leaving gift to Maddie. Maddie had milked as much time as she could get with Ada that morning before begrudgingly getting ready to leave. She squeezed Ada so hard in their final hug that she almost stopped the poor woman from breathing.

‘Good luck, Maddie,’ she’d smiled as Maddie finally released her and swung the strap of her overnight bag over her shoulder.

Maddie had to wipe away a tear that fell down her cheek as she got into Tommy’s car, also for the last time, and he drove them to Regent Street.

They did another sweep of the street and still found no sign of the place. Maddie groaned in frustration; she was missing something. Think, Maddie, think. She cast her mind back to what Giles had told her about the council and what she had read in the watcher diaries. They were obviously top secret so… so they must have ways to stay concealed in the middle of a busy city like London. Of course! Magic.

Maddie began yet another lap up the street, holding onto the strap of her bag tightly on her shoulder. This time she called upon all her senses, including her special slayer ones. She walked at a fast pace, Tommy keeping up behind her as she awaited any sign of magic. She held her hand out as if to feel the air in front of her, earning her odd looks from passers-by who she ignored.

‘What are you-,’ started Tommy, but Maddie cut him off.

‘Shhh!’ she hissed, waving her hand dismissively in his direction. She imagined that no-one had ever dared shushed Tommy Shelby before, and Maddie allowed herself to smile secretly for doing so.

They got halfway along the street before Maddie sensed it. A tingling sensation like pins and needles shot through her hand as they walked past a seemingly unremarkable length of wall. Maddie stopped abruptly and Tommy nearly collided with her. Magic always left a trace, most not usually visible and only detectable by someone who was in line with the supernatural. Someone like a slayer.

‘Here,’ she said, turning to face the blank wall and squinting at it suspiciously. Tommy turned to follow her gaze and cleared his throat as he scanned the empty wall.

‘It’s a wall,’ he said dumbly. Maddie rolled her eyes at him.

‘Duh. It’s a magic wall. Probably a glamour.’

Maddie stepped forward and reached out to touch the wall. As her hand got within an inch of the stone, it suddenly disappeared and a small alcove appeared in the wall in front of her. Huge wooden double doors towered above Maddie in the alcove and a sign on the wood read: ‘Watcher’s Council of England’.

‘Are you seeing this?’ asked Maddie as she stared at the doors.

‘Seeing what?’ 

Maddie tuned back to Tommy to see him scanning the wall still. You must need to be close to the wall to see the door, realised Maddie.

‘Come on,’ she said to Tommy with a smile, holding her hand out for him to take. Tommy hesitated, looking around him to see if anyone was watching, probably concerned that Maddie was about to walk them into a brick wall. Eventually he stepped forward and took Maddie’s hand.

She stepped forward into the alcove, pulling Tommy through with her so they were stood on the step directly in front of the doors. Tommy filched as the door appeared in front of him, his mouth dropping open in shock, much to Maddie’s amusement. He gawped at the doors in disbelief before shutting his jaw and looking down at Maddie.

‘So, do we knock?’ he asked.

Maddie shrugged but proceeded to knock loudly on the door. They waited for the door to open, or for something to happen when Maddie realised that they were still holding hands. She released her grip from Tommy as one of the big wooden doors creaked open and the face of a youngish looking man appeared in the doorway.

‘Yes?’ enquired the man, looking at her and Tommy. He had a posh accent that sounded unpleasantly nasal, wired spectacles that sat close to his eyes and he wore a hideous tweed suit. He reminded Maddie a lot of Giles, she knew that he had a penchant for tweed back in the day.

‘Er… hi. My names Maddie, and this is Tommy. I need your help,’ Maddie stuttered. She realised that she hadn’t planned what to say prior to getting there. It was times like these that Maddie wished she had a way with words like Tommy did.

The man looked at her perplexed, ‘How did you find the door?’

‘Oh er, well. I’m the slayer. I mean the slayer from the future. I need help getting home,’ said Maddie, smiling nervously at the tweed man.

‘I see…’ he said slowly, processing what Maddie had said. After a long pause as the man scrutinised her, Tommy spoke up.

‘Are you going to let us in or not?’

The man’s eyes snapped to Tommy; he stammered and took a step back, opening the door wider.

‘My apologies, please come in,’ he said, holding his arm out to allow Maddie and Tommy inside.

Maddie stepped through the door followed closely by Tommy, the man shutting it as soon as they were inside. Maddie found herself stood in a huge atrium. The pillars glinted with gold all the way up to a domed ceiling which was decorated with fresco type paintings, although they depicted images of a more supernatural nature compared to the ones in the Cistine Chapel. Vampires with bumpy face were depicted in some kind of battle against humans. There were a few doors and corridors that lead off the circular atrium, giving the place a labyrinth type feel.

‘My name is George, I man the entrance,’ said the man to Maddie. ‘What did you say you name was Miss?’

‘Maddie,’ she replied. ‘And this is-,’

‘Thomas Shelby,’ said George, glancing at Tommy. ‘Even in the world of monsters and shadows, your name is well-known.’

Maddie looked back inquisitively at Tommy, but he had his eyes fixed on George, a bizarre expression on his face. No doubt shocked to hear that he was famous in the watcher’s circles. They regarded each other for a moment before George spoke again.

‘If you’d wait here please.’

George turned away from them and went down one of the corridors, leaving Maddie and Tommy alone. Maddie looked around and debated whether to try and sneak through the building to find the library, which was where she knew her answers would be. But she knew it was unlikely she’d get very far.

‘You were unusually nervous back there,’ said Tommy coming to stand beside her. He was right, she had been uncharacteristically nervous. Maddie cursed herself, she knew the watchers were a bunch of misogynistic twats that deserved nothing but contempt in her mind. But right now, she needed their help to get home, causing her nerves to be on edge around them.

‘These men are archaic and stalwartly traditional when it comes to their practices. And I need to try and convince them that I’m telling the truth,’ huffed Maddie with bitterness.

‘Have you thought about how you’re going to do that?’ 

‘Of course,’ Maddie lied. Damn him for his perceptiveness, thought Maddie. No, she hadn’t thought this far ahead. She admitted that she had pictured walking through the front door and them handing over the spell Maddie needed like they were expecting her all along.

They waited in the atrium for almost fifteen minutes, long enough for Maddie to start pacing around the room in circles impatiently before the eventually she heard footsteps coming back down the corridor George went down. She looked toward it in anticipation, fidgeting on the spot as she awaited whoever it was to appear.

George reappeared, stepping into the atrium followed by a much older man. He had grey hair and was balding on the top of his head. He was shorter than George and had to walk at a faster pace to keep up with him. The man looked over to Maddie as he walked in and approached her with confident strides.

‘Maddie is it?’ he asked, stopping a foot or so in front of her and Tommy. She nodded to the man who then smiled, holding out his hand.

‘Richard Travers. A pleasure to meet you.’


	10. No Place Like Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter chapter this time but I hope you all enjoy. The next chapter will be one to look forward too so keep an eye out for that!

Tommy watched Maddie eye up the hand of the man who just introduced himself as Richard Travers with trepidation. There was a pause before Maddie put her hand in his and shook it gingerly. Tommy didn’t know what to make of Maddie’s odd behaviour. Since they had entered the building, she had been acting strangely, her ususal confident personality seeming to have vanished as she paced around the grand atrium nervously. Tommy recalled the memory of Maddie telling him about the Watcher’s Council, and the men that were a part of it. He also remembered that she herself had never been involved with them as they no longer existed in the future and realised this was probably why she looked so out of her depth.

‘Travers?’ questioned Maddie, studying Mr Travers as if she were trying to recognise him.

‘Yes,’ replied Mr Travers, shifting his gaze from side to side in confusion. ‘Have we met?’

‘No,’ said Maddie, withdrawing her hand away. ‘But I’ve read about watchers with that last name in the watcher diaries.’

Mr Travers didn’t immediately reply and began to scrutinise Maddie silently. Tommy had quickly come to realise that this organisation had power unlike those that he was used to in his world. The fact that George had recognised him had shook Tommy to his core. He knew nothing about the watchers or indeed the world of vampires and demons until two weeks ago; but it was clear to him that these people knew a hell of a lot about him. Tommy knew it from the way George had said ‘even in the world of monsters and shadows, your name is well-known’ and looked at him with reservation. One thing was for sure, Tommy was planning on finding out as much as he could about the Watcher’s Council as soon as Maddie had gotten her way home.

Tommy felt his heart stab in his chest as he thought about Maddie leaving. They had gotten so close over the past couple of days, but now she had never felt so far away from him despite not having left yet. Even that will soon change, and she really wouldn’t be there anymore; her time with him nothing but a bittersweet memory. 

Tommy watched silently as Mr Travers began to question Maddie about being an alleged slayer and why she had come to the Watcher’s Council. Maddie recounted a brief timeline of events, conveniently omitting her activities with Tommy and his family, as Mr Travers listened with a stone like expression. These men had obviously encountered the weird and wonderful before as they made no reaction to Maddie’s retelling of being pulled through a portal. Tommy studied Mr Travers as he listened and had an inkling that the man didn’t believe what Maddie was saying.

‘So, I was hoping that you would be able to help me get home,’ finished Maddie with a sigh. Mr Travers nodded slowly as he took in her words before turning his gaze to Tommy, who met his eyes coldly.

‘And what part does he have to play in this story?’ asked Mr Travers. Maddie looked back at Tommy briefly then back to him quickly.

‘Oh. Tommy has been kind enough to provide me with a place to stay whilst I’ve been here,’ replied Maddie, failing to keep the nervous tone from her voice.

‘For two weeks? Why not come to us before now?’

Maddie stuttered as she struggled to answer Mr Travers’ question. He was evidently suspicious as to why she had taken so long to get to London. Maddie had made the effort to conceal her and Tommy’s business arrangement, but it had left obvious holes in her story. Tommy cleared his throat and took a step forward to join the conversation more formally.

‘That would be my fault,’ said Tommy in his cool authoritative tone. ‘I offered to drive Maddie to London, but I have been indisposed at my home on business until yesterday, so she had to wait until then.’

Tommy knew it was a weak argument, especially for him but he hoped his usual icy demeanour would intimidate Mr Travers enough to believe him. Mr Travers regarded Tommy with a suspicious expression before turning back to Maddie.

‘Forgive me Miss…?’ faltered Mr Travers.

‘Chapman,’ completed Maddie.

‘Forgive me Miss Chapman but you must see why I find this all very hard to believe. Not only are you associated with a gangster, who you claim to have only utilised his hospitality for the last two weeks which leads me to put very little trust in you. But you also must understand that I cannot just believe that you are a slayer based on your word alone.’

Tommy could feel both himself and Maddie bristle at Mr Travers’ words. Turns out his inkling had indeed been correct. Tommy had never had anyone talk about him so indignantly like he wasn’t there before. And Maddie was evidently annoyed that this watcher didn’t believe a word they were saying.

‘How about you base it off me punching you so hard in the face that your head will spin around on your shoulders,’ Maddie threatened, folding her arms over her chest.

Tommy had to duck his head down so that the brim of his cap would hide his smirk. Mr Travers also found the humour in the situation and chuckled. George, who had been listening to the conversation silently up until that point, twitched at her threat.

‘Anyone can use a spell to imbue themselves with inhuman strength Miss Chapman,’ said Mr Travers. ‘We will see what we can do to help you but first you must prove beyond reasonable doubt that you are a slayer.’

‘And how do I do that?’ questioned Maddie impatiently, now evidently irked at being regarded with suspicion.

Mr Travers smiled at Maddie before replying, ‘Follow me. Mr Shelby may as well join as you seem to have told him so much about our world that it hardly makes sense to insist that he wait for you here.’

Tommy was now sure he disliked Mr Travers with a passion. He wanted nothing more to pull out his pistol and shoot him for his insolence, but that wouldn’t be of any benefit to him and definitely not to Maddie. If he could put up with Alfie Solomons for the past two years, he could withstand the company of this fucker for an hour.

Mr Travers turned and began to walk towards one of the doors linked to the atrium followed by George. Maddie and Tommy exchanged a curious glance before making to follow the two men through the door and down a long corridor. They passed several rooms as they followed Mr Travers down several long narrow corridors where Tommy noticed various other men peering through the open doors to gawp at the strangers who had come to visit. They were all dressed in similar tweed suits like George and Mr Travers. Tommy managed to catch some of them whispering about a girl claiming to be a slayer. News must travel fast around here, thought Tommy. Maddie had evidently heard the whispering too as he saw her cheeks blush and her ears start to flush red. Tommy threw Maddie some doubtful looks when he was sure no one was watching them. He wasn’t convinced that these men were going to help her, and he was starting to become nervous as they were led deeper into the bowels of the building. Maddie picked up on his silent message and shrugged defeatedly, silently telling him that she didn’t have any option but to trust them.

They were led down a set of stairs to a basement and along yet another corridor to a set of doors. George unlocked them and pushed them open to reveal a large long room. The floor was made of varnished wooden planks and the walls were also made of a similar yet darker wood except for one wall at the far end of the room. It had a number of large heavy looking iron doors lined up along it. They were led into the centre of the room by Mr Travers who turned back to Tommy and Maddie.

‘So, you’ve brought me to an empty room. Now what?’ asked Maddie.

‘There is only one way for you to prove your claims, Miss Chapman,’ said Mr Travers. He looked at Maddie expectantly, waiting for her to figure out what was in store for her.

‘Why don’t you drop the cryptic and get to the point,’ complained Maddie. Tommy couldn’t really blame her for loosing her patience with these people, they were proving to be rather insufferable.

‘Quite a unique way with words…’ commented Mr Travers. ‘Very well. If you really are a slayer Miss Chapman, then slaying a vampire should be satisfactory proof that you are.’

Maddie raised her eyebrows and scoffed, ‘If that’s all then let’s get it over with.’

Tommy couldn’t deny that he was excited at the prospect of watching Maddie fight a vampire. He remembered her scuffle with the one that came through the portal with her and was keen to see more. But it was the middle of the day, didn’t vampires only appear at night? Then Tommy looked back at the huge iron doors and now saw that they resembled prison doors.

‘I wouldn’t be too confident Miss Chapman. This vampire will not be your common or garden variety. It will be older and far more ferocious.’

Maddie’s expression remained unperturbed, she smirked as she rolled her eyes, not impressed by the warning that was evidently supposed to scare her.

‘No problem Mr Travers,’ she said. Tommy could see that her confidence was returning and felt a wash of relief at seeing the old Maddie back. 

‘Very well. This shall be your arena,’ said Mr Travers, holding his arms out to gesture at the large room. ‘Mr Shelby and I shall watch you from the observation room on the other side of that wall.’

He pointed to the blank wall behind her and Tommy. Tommy couldn’t see how they would be able see through the wall but realised that it must be some sort of magic trick to prevent anyone inside the room from knowing anyone was watching them. He thought of how useful something like that would be in his line of work; being able to spy on his enemies like that without them knowing would save a lot of effort.

‘What about him?’ asked Tommy, indicating to George who was stood there silently.

‘George will be going back to his duties,’ said Mr Travers. ‘Excuse us a moment.’

Mr Travers walked with George to the doors of the room, speaking to him in hushed tones. Leaving Maddie and Tommy to watch them suspiciously. George nodded to Mr Travers before leaving the room at a brisk pace.

‘What do you reckon that was about?’ asked Tommy in a whisper to Maddie as Mr Travers walked back to them.

‘Dunno, but I don’t trust them,’ she whispered back. Tommy agreed with her. He couldn’t quite place why, but Mr Travers didn’t come across as trustworthy to him.

‘If you are ready Miss Chapman, Mr Shelby and I can get in position in the observation room,’ said Mr Travers when he returned. Maddie nodded before turning to Tommy.

‘Could you hold on to these for me?’ she asked, handing Tommy her bag which she had kept hung on her shoulder since they left Ada’s house. She also removed her coat, handing that to Tommy as well. He was glad that he wasn’t in the company of his family, they would find great enjoyment in seeing him do Frances’ job. Tommy grabbed Maddie’s hand with his free one once she had handed him her things. He gave her an encouraging smile and squeeze of the hand, which she returned with a blush and a confident grin.

Tommy had followed Mr Travers out of the room when Maddie called to them just before he was about to shut the door.

‘Don’t I get a weapon?’ she called.

‘All in good time,’ replied Mr Travers with a knowing smile as he closed the doors and locked them, shutting Maddie inside. Tommy hoped that he wasn’t expecting Maddie to fight a vampire unarmed; that hardly seemed fair.

Mr Travers walked around a corner through a narrow corridor with Tommy close behind. They went into a room that was directly next to the one Maddie was in. It must have mainly functioned as a storeroom as Tommy spotted the many pieces of equipment stored in there. Amongst them were items including several punching bags, leather crash mats and other gymnastics type equipment. Did the watchers also train or was this all for the current slayer? Tommy then realised that the current slayer hadn’t been discussed during any of their earlier conversations and wondered who she might be. Was she anything like Maddie? Tommy dismissed this thought as he realised that there wasn’t anyone like Maddie.

They approached the wall that was shared with the large wooden room and Tommy saw that he could see straight through it as if there were a large window set into the wall. Tommy looked at it impressed as he dropped Maddie’s belongings neatly by his feet. He saw Maddie back in the room he had just been in, looking around the room curiously, no doubt in search of a weapon. He then turned to Mr Travers in anticipation for whatever was about to happen.

Mr Travers was stood in front of a microphone that had no wire attached to it and a set of levers that were sat on a plinth next to it. He watched Maddie with amusement as he leaned forward and spoke into the microphone.

‘Are you ready Miss Chapman?’

Maddie swivelled around, searching for the source of the voice. Tommy suspected that this was also magic as he didn’t remember seeing any speakers in the room.

‘As I’ll ever be,’ she replied, giving her head a little shake when she couldn’t find where his voice was coming from.

‘Then you may choose your weapon,’ said Mr Travers as he pulled one of the levers next to him. The wall opposite them in the room where Maddie stood started to rise, groaning and clunking noisily to reveal another wall behind. Maddie turned to watch the wall move and Tommy felt his eyebrows rise as he saw what was behind the fake wall.

The entire wall was decorated with weapons. Every kind of weapon you could think of, excluding ballistic firearms. Tommy recalled Maddie telling him that guns were useless against vampires, but he hadn’t realised how… well… medieval a slayer’s arsenal was. There was every type of weapon imaginable; swords; axes; knives and spears of various sizes, quarterstaffs, stakes as well as ranged weapons. Tommy spotted several different styles of bow, including crossbows. Then his eyes landed on some wooden crosses, some of which had sharpened points. Next to them was a shelf lined with bottles of water with crucifixes on them. Holy water? Tommy realised he was still pitifully unversed in what could harm a vampire despite all the time he had spent with a slayer, an expert vampire killer.

Tommy now understood why Maddie had been so restless and bored staying at his home. Was this what her training room at home looked like? It was no wonder that she had been so eager to be outside and fighting when these were the sorts of toys she was used to killing time with. Tommy felt a modicum of guilt at being mad at Maddie for sneaking out that night she went to the graveyard; she had probably felt like a bird trapped in a cage.

Although Maddie had his back to them, Tommy could picture the excited face she must be making at the sight of the weapons as she quickly scurried over to the wall to inspect them. She started at one end, next to the bottles of holy water and began to walk her way along the wall, running her fingers over some of the weapons as she passed them. Maddie stopped and picked up a small crossbow which she weighed in her hands and looked down the sights before shaking her head, returning it and carrying on. She did the same for some of the other weapons, swinging them around to test their weight before putting them back. When she reached the end where the swords were, she turned to look back down the wall again, pausing in thought. Eventually, Maddie started walking purposefully back to the axe section and picked up a heavy looking silver battle-axe with a long handle and a sharpened pommel which must have doubled as a stake. Two weapons in one, good choice, thought Tommy.

Maddie walked back to the centre of the room with her axe and looked toward where she guessed Tommy and Mr Travers were stood behind the blank wall.

‘Fine choice,’ said Mr Travers into the microphone, pushing the lever back so the weapon wall was re-concealed once again by the fake one. Then without warning, he pulled one of the other levers and one of the large iron doors clunked and swung open slowly. Maddie whipped round to face it, raising her axe and adopting a fighting stance.

There was a silence as they awaited whatever was behind the iron doors to emerge. Tommy felt his muscles tense as he watched unblinkingly for Maddie’s foe to appear. Then a figure emerged from the doorway and Tommy swallowed silently. The thing was huge and monstrous, its face was contorted like the vampire that Tommy saw when Maddie crashed into is office. Its eyes were so yellow that Tommy could see the colour of them from where he stood. It must have been nearly double Maddie’s height and Tommy was reminded of Hercules although he was sure that this enemy wouldn’t be as easy to defeat as he had been. It also wore what looked like a straight jacket although it had been ripped apart, so its arms were free. He wondered how the watchers had come to capture this creature, but the thought was pushed from his mind when the vampire bared its fangs at Maddie.

Maddie looked upon the creature with some surprise although she stood her ground when it began to march towards her, its footsteps banging on the wooden floor. Tommy admitted if he saw this monster outside in the middle of the night, he would run for his life. Maddie however, actually walked towards it, matching its pace until they met after a few steps. She went to swing the axe at the vampire’s head, but he blocked it, halting the blade’s course in mid-air as Maddie continued to hold onto the handle. Tommy’s heart jumped into his mouth; seeing Maddie stood against the giant monster made him question whether someone as small as her could overpower something like that. Indeed, that’s how Tommy felt for pretty much the rest of the fight.

The vampire punched Maddie in the side followed by a kick to her chest causing her to stumble backwards and fall on her backside, dropping the axe on the floor. Without hesitation she jumped back to her feet and approached the vampire without picking up her axe. Maddie closed back in on it and landed several fast punches to its gut and face, dodging any swipes it made at her, until it was forced to step backwards from the force of her hits. Maddie swivelled and attempted to swing her leg up to plant a kick to the vampire’s chest, but she was stopped by her skirt. She had worn a long, form fitting skirt that day and Tommy realised that she couldn’t get her legs more than hip width apart. She stumbled again and looked down at her skirt in irritation. The vampire noticed her failed kick and laughed at her as it began to advance again.

Maddie quickly bent over and grasped the hem of her skirt at the side and proceeded to tear a large slit up the side of it all the way to her hip, freeing her legs from the confinement. As she straightened up again, the vampire reached her and punched Maddie in the face once before grasping her neck and lifting her off her feet. Tommy took a step forward before he could stop himself, narrowly stopping himself from shouting Maddie’s name. Maddie clawed at the vampire’s arm as she kicked her legs frantically in mid-air. The beast smiled at her as she struggled. Tommy glanced to the side to look at Mr Travers, he was stood with his hands behind his back as he watched, an unimpressed look on his face. Tommy clenched his teeth at the sight of him, before turning back to face the scene on the other side of the window.

The vampire suddenly threw Maddie away from him; she flew across the room several feet and landed with a crash, tumbling across the floor before settling on her stomach. She lifted her weight onto her elbows, her hair covering her face as she kept her head bowed. Maddie suddenly whipped her head up and Tommy saw her furious expression. She looked to the side and at the vampire that was walking slowly towards her. She brought herself to her feet again, facing off with it unafraid.

‘Okay, now you’ve pissed me off,’ she growled.

Maddie sprinted toward the vampire and tackled it at full speed as it clawed at her back. They landed on the floor and Maddie began to pummel the beast’s face with her fists as she straddled its vast body. The vamp managed to grab Maddie’s wrists and throw her off over its head, but she rolled out of it and came to stand before the vamp did. She roundhouse kicked the vamp’s head from behind causing it to fall forward onto its front. Then Maddie grabbed the vamp’s jacket, lifted it up, and with a grunt threw the vamp towards the wall that Tommy was stood behind. The vamp hit the wall in a comical fashion right in front of Mr Travers who smiled as the vamp fell to its knees.

This proved to piss the vamp off because it growled angrily as it stood back up and turned around to Maddie. However, she had retrieved the axe in the meantime and had begun to march toward the vamp with a dangerous glint in her eye. She and the vampire brawled for what felt like a long time to Tommy. His heart thudding violently in his chest as he watched the woman that he’d grown to care so much for come close to being killed by this walking nightmare. The vamp managed to grab Maddie around her body at one point, pinning her arms to her sides as it brought its fangs towards her neck. Thankfully, Maddie threw her head back and headbutted the vamp before it could sink its teeth into her, causing it to drop her so she could pick the axe back up again. Maddie’s face conveyed that she had had just about enough of this fight.

She walked up to the vamp as it held its face in its hand in pain from Maddie’s headbutt. She kicked it in the stomach with what looked like full force, making it bend over in yet more pain. And like an executioner, Maddie lifted the axe above her head before plunging it down onto the vampire’s neck, grunting loudly as she did so. The blade sliced through the flesh of the vamp’s neck like a knife through butter. Its head separated from its body and rolled across the floor before it and the vamp’s body disintegrated into dust.

Tommy sucked in much needed air through his nose. He didn’t realise that he’d been holding his breath for most of the fight and had to blink to stop himself feeling dizzy. That was one of the most amazing things he had ever witnessed and found that he still couldn’t quite believe his eyes when he saw the vampire turn to dust. He looked over to Mr Travers who stepped up to the microphone and began to clap slowly into it. Maddie, whose hair hung over her face in sweaty tangled knots, looked up through her hair to glare in their direction. Tommy personally wouldn’t have wanted to be Mr Travers in that moment.

‘Bravo Miss Chapman, bravo,’ congratulated Mr Travers, sounding infuriatingly patronising as he smiled at Maddie. She threw down the axe on the floor with a clatter as she continued to stare at the wall, catching her breath.

Just then a man holding a large book entered the observation room, approaching Mr Travers to whisper something into his ear. Tommy eyed them as they mumbled to each other, trying to catch what they were saying without success.

‘Fuck you,’ Maddie spat after a minute’s pause. The patronising tone of Mr Travers’ voice evidently not missed by her. She turned and stormed toward the doors before wrenching them open, pulling them clean off their hinges before disappearing through the doorway.

‘Quite a mouth on that girl,’ muttered Mr Travers disapprovingly.

Tommy turned to give Mr Travers a venomous look. He now realised why he didn’t trust him. Tommy got the vibe that watchers didn’t hold women in particularly high regard, despite the slayer, the protector of the world, being one. Tommy was baffled by the audacity and stupidity of it and felt glad to know that this institution would no longer be standing in another eighty or so years.

Maddie soon barged into the room, looking ready to level a city. Tommy realised that he had never seen Maddie angry before. Not truly angry. It was an emotion that didn’t seem compatible with her ususal personality.

‘So, we’ve now established that I’m a slayer. Maybe we can get to the matter of getting me home,’ she huffed as she brushed the hair from her face with her hand. Tommy went to stand next to her, staring down the two men with his cold stare in the hope it would help coax the information they needed out of them.

Mr Travers and the new man looked at each other momentarily and Mr Travers tilted his head towards Maddie in a direction for the other man to speak. He looked over to Maddie nervously, grasping his book to his chest like a shield.

‘Er, well you see, that is a problem Miss. There is no way to open a time portal,’ the man stuttered. ‘It simply isn’t possible.’

Tommy whipped his gaze to Maddie and watched as the colour drained from her face. She stared at the two men and swallowed before speaking.

‘You’re lying,’ she said. ‘It must be possible. How the hell else would I have gotten here?’

‘Time travel has never been recorded in any of the tomes we have in our possession,’ explained the man. ‘It has only ever been observed in certain demon races but the ability to perform that kind of magic isn’t known to any witch or warlock.’

Tommy watched as Maddie tried to think of the words to protest but failed, her chest beginning to rise and fall rapidly in panic and shock.

‘I’m sorry Miss Chapman but there is nothing we can do for you,’ said Mr Travers.

Tommy put his hand on Maddie’s shoulder as she began to shake her head frantically at them, her eyes glossing over. The two men simply stared at her emotionlessly as she began to crack at the seams.

‘No. No I can’t be stuck here.’

She pressed her hands to her face and breathed rapidly as Tommy turned to address the two men.

‘What about the books that aren’t in your possession?’ asked Tommy, scowling at them for their evident lack of tact or empathy. They looked at Tommy and a look of realisation crossed their faces as they cottoned on to what he was asking.

‘We can get in contact with the overseas headquarters, but they only possess the same information we have Mr Shelby,’ said Mr Travers shaking his head.

‘Well what about other resources? Contacts? A place like this must have friends in high and low places.’

Tommy was determined that these watchers weren’t going to get the better of him or Maddie. Mr Travers dismissed the other man with a wave of his hand who scurried out hastily before he addressed Tommy again.

‘I can assure you both. The fact that you are here Miss Chapman is a phenomenon that we will be investigating thoroughly, and we will do our best to find out what we can. But I wouldn’t hold out much hope.’

Tommy sighed and rubbed Maddie’s arm as she continued to keep her face in her hands silently. 

‘Well if you find anything you can contact me at the Shelby Company Offices in Small Heath,’ stated Tommy before turning to speak to Maddie softly. ‘Let’s get out of here, eh?’

Maddie removed her face from her hands and looked up at Tommy, her eyes bloodshot from the effort of holding back tears. She nodded and Tommy turned to pick up her bag and coat before placing his hand on her back and ushering her towards the door, eager to remove himself and her from Mr Travers’ presence.

Tommy guided Maddie through the building the way they came, thankful for his good memory allowing him to navigate the hallways easily. Once back in the atrium Tommy spotted George and ordered him to let them out with a dangerous tone in his voice. George fumbled for the keys and clumsily opened the large wooden doors and they quickly stepped out and onto the street, luckily not walking into anyone walking along the pavement. Tommy marched himself and Maddie the short distance to where the car was parked and began to drive them both back to Ada’s house.

***

Tommy looked over at Maddie with concern as he drove the route back to Ada’s. She hadn’t spoken at all since they left the Watcher’s Council and was now staring out of the car window blankly, her eyes glassy and hollow. She sat with her left leg folded up on the seat as it protruded through the large slit in her skirt, resting her chin on her knee. Maddie’s blouse was also ripped in several places where the vampire’s claws had shredded the fabric. Tommy also noticed yet another set of battle wounds in the forms of scratches and bruises blooming all over her body. Her neck had a distinctive hand shaped bruise imprinted all the way around it from where the huge vampire almost choked her. When Tommy had walked Maddie back to the car, passers-by had thrown her odd looks when they noticed her dishevelled state; although she had been oblivious to them as she stared down at the pavement as she marched along.

Tommy wanted to say something to Maddie to make her feel better; to choose words that would somehow fix the situation, but he kept coming up short. Now that the initial shock and adrenaline of the news that Maddie was stuck in 1924 had worn off, Tommy couldn’t help but feel a sense of selfish joy that she was still there. She had been so convinced that the watchers would be able to get her home that the possibility that they wouldn’t have the means to do it didn’t even occur to Tommy, and evidently not to Maddie. Despite this happiness, Tommy decided he would still help her look for a way home; explore every avenue to find her answers. He couldn’t bear to see Maddie like this, emotionless and empty like he was most of the time. Tommy yearned to see her smile again and an idea germinated in his brain, thinking about the training room in the Watcher’s Council. If Maddie couldn’t go home, then maybe Tommy could bring a bit of home to her. In a manner of speaking anyway.

After spending most of the journey silently trying to think of words to say, Tommy finally spoke, ‘You don’t have to worry about finding a place to stay Maddie. You can live at Arrow House for as long as you want.’

Maddie finally moved and turned to Tommy giving him a weak smile.

‘Thank you,’ she said, barely louder than a whisper. 

It was as if the life had been drained from her. The reality of knowing that she will likely never see her home or her friends again sucking all vitality from her body. Tommy wanted to follow and say to Maddie that it would be alright, that she could create a new life for herself here. A new start. A new beginning. But even he knew that she probably didn’t want to hear that right now, and he let silence fall between them again.

Tommy pulled his car up outside of Ada’s house and Tommy got out first, retrieving Maddie’s bag and coat from the back seat as she slowly got out of the car. They went up the steps and Tommy banged on the front door with his fist. The sun had set during the drive back and a night-time chill had begun to permeate the air, causing Tommy’s breath to create a fog in front of his face as he waited for Ada to open the door. When she did, she smiled at Tommy widely.

‘How’d it- Maddie?’ she exclaimed as she spotted Maddie stood behind him and started to flit her eyes between the two of them in confusion. ‘What happened?’

Tommy walked in without a word, walking past Ada without answering as she looked at him with a creased brow. He threw the things he was holding onto the floor before taking his cap off and running his hands through his hair and taking his cigarettes out of his pocket. Ada turned to Maddie and on seeing the look on her face grabbed her gently by the arms and looked her in the eye.

‘What’s going on?’ she said softly to Maddie, brushing a strand of Maddie’s hair away from her face gently. Maddie stayed silent for a few seconds before taking in a breath to speak.

‘They said they can’t do it. That there’s no way to get me home,’ she said.

Ada studied Maddie’s face in disbelief before turning her head round to Tommy who nodded his conformation. 

‘Oh Maddie, I-I’m sorry,’ said Ada, pulling Maddie into a hug. Tommy saw Maddie squeeze her eyes shut as she rested her head on Ada’s shoulder and he feared that she might burst into tears. But instead she pulled away from Ada abruptly and looked between her and Tommy then at her coat that was on the floor. 

‘I’m sorry I – I need to be alone for a while,’ Maddie stuttered, snatching up her coat and pulling it on before making to head back out of the door which had been left open.

‘Maddie wait-,’ called Tommy after her, following her out of the door. Ada attempted to grab his arm as he passed to stop him, but he shook her off. His sister called after him to leave Maddie be as he tore down the steps after her, throwing his cigarette away in the bushes. 

Tommy chased after Maddie, calling to her as she began to run along the dark empty street toward the iron fence that lined the park at the end of the road. She ignored Tommy and ran straight for the fence and he thought he was going to catch up with her once she got there. But instead of stopping Maddie jumped and launched herself over the fence. She somersaulted over it, clearing the spikes by almost a foot and landed on her feet on the other side before disappearing into the darkness of the unlit park.

‘Maddie!’ Tommy yelled after her, skidding to a halt by the fence. He caught the hem of Maddie’s skirt vanish into the shadows and he sighed in defeat. He knew it was no use trying to find her now, if she wanted to be alone then there was nothing Tommy could do about it.

He turned and walked back to the house reluctantly and was met by Ada at the door. She regarded him with her arms folded over her chest, shaking her head at him as he trudged back into the house before shutting the door behind him.

‘She’ll be back when she’s ready Tommy,’ she sighed.

‘Yeah,’ mumbled Tommy, running his hand through his hair before removing his coat and going into the living room for a much-needed drink. He helped himself to a full glass of whiskey and flumped onto the sofa with a huff. He pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket and lit a new one.

‘Are you going to tell me what that was all about?’ asked Ada, joining Tommy in the living room and pouring herself her own drink.

Tommy recounted the events of the afternoon and what the watchers had told Maddie. Ada sighed as she listened to the story and shook her head in disgust when he’d finished.

‘Well they sound like cheerful men,’ said Ada sarcastically, sitting back into her chair.

Tommy sipped at his drink silently as Ada looked at him expectantly. She no doubt expected him to come out with a plan of how to solve Maddie’s problem. But this wasn’t his area of expertise; magic and dimensions and impossible stuff like that were completely foreign to him. Maddie was stuck here. Indefinitely it looked like. And Tommy, despite trying his hardest, couldn’t make himself feel regret for being glad that Maddie hadn’t left. Tommy also had the distinct feeling that they hadn’t seen the last of the watchers. Now that they knew that another slayer existed, he was certain they would try to use Maddie for their own ends sooner rather than later.

‘So, what’s going to happen?’ asked Ada when it was clear Tommy wasn’t going to speak.

‘She’ll stay with me for as long as she needs. I’ll find her a place in the company, so she has something to keep her going,’ replied Tommy after pausing for thought.

‘I’m sorry Tommy but shouldn’t that be up to her?’ questioned Ada.

Tommy admitted that it was a little presumptuous of him to think that Maddie would go back to living at Arrow House rather finding her own way, even if she had seemed to have agreed to that in the car. He knew it would be hard for her to establish herself in society without any money, possessions or a home to call her own. Tommy could provide Maddie with that security, and he hoped that she would see that as well. But he mostly wanted her to stay because there was now a new chance for them to act on whatever it was that had been developing between them.

Tommy got up without gracing Ada with a reply and went out into the hall to her telephone. He asked the operator to put him through to Arthur’s address and waited for his brother to pick up the phone.

‘Arthur Shelby,’ he answered, the line crackling before he spoke.

‘Arthur, It’s Tommy.’

‘Tom? How did it go? Did Maddie get home alright?’ Arthur asked.

‘No,’ said Tommy simply.

‘Wha- what do you mean Tom?’

‘She’s still here brother, they don’t know how to get her home,’ said Tommy. Arthur went silent on the other side of the line and Tommy took the opportunity to continue before he could speak again. ‘Arthur listen, I’ve got a job for you.’

Tommy gave his instructions to Arthur, explaining every detail thoroughly. He wanted to make Maddie feel better, and to feel like she would always be welcome amongst his family so he wanted to make sure his brother would carry out his plan to the letter.

‘Get John, Finn, Isiah, even Michael on this Arthur. Start tonight and get it done by tomorrow when we get back. I’ll make some calls in the morning to get anything else we need delivered to the house,’ he finished.

‘Okay Tom… but tell me what’s going on,’ stated Arthur.

‘Just get it done.’

Tommy hung up the phone with a sigh and looked over at the front door. He hoped Maddie would return soon, he didn’t like the idea of her being out in the freezing cold by herself. Tommy’s fear would be unjustified under normal circumstances, but Maddie wasn’t feeling herself. She had just endured a pretty rough fight followed by a shittier piece of news and he was concerned that something might happen to her. Part of him worried that she may disappear entirely and would never be seen again. Tommy swallowed the thought away and went back into the living room and saw that Ada had settled down to read a book. She looked up at him with a disapproving expression, but he ignored her and went over to the window to peek out of the curtains.

‘Are you going to stand there all night?’ huffed Ada after Tommy had stood at the window for a good ten minutes, watching the goings on of the street outside.

Even he admitted that staring out the window for hours would be ridiculous, so Tommy sat in the chair nearest the window, picking up that day’s paper which he hadn’t read yet. He settled in to await Maddie’s return, knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to sleep until she did.


	11. An Honorary Shelby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nice satisfying chapter which I hope you all enjoy!

‘Maddie!’

Maddie vaguely registered Tommy shout her name as she ran into the familiar safety of the darkness, kicking up chunks of mud as her heels dug into the wet grass as she sprinted and weaved in between the trees. She just needed to get away. Get away from Tommy, Ada and everything that reminded her of where she was, and of where she wasn’t but wanted to be. She felt numb all over and wanted to make her muscles ache and pump with blood so she could feel that they were still working.

Maddie’s head began to play out memories from her life as she continued to run through the dark park, working the numbness out of her body. She ran through to the other side of the park and out the other side onto a quiet street and continued running without slowing her speed. Maddie ran down back alleyways and small quiet streets so as not to be noticed, anyone she did pass giving her startled looks as she tore past them. Maddie continued like this for as long as she could go, she ran and ran and ran until her lungs burned with the icy cold air penetrating them and begged for her to stop. Her skin began to drip with sweat which soaked into her clothes, making the night air seem even colder. She ran into another park which was much larger than the one by Ada’s house and eventually ground to halt in amongst some trees.

Maddie leant against a large oak as she bent forward with her hands on her knees, sucking in more cold air as she caught her breath. She welcomed the searing pain as it turned her focus away from everything that had happened that day and over the previous two weeks. But her slayer stamina meant that she caught her breath within a minute, and she squeezed her eyes shut to will away the images of her friends that jumped into her head. The friends she would never see again.

The stinging in her lungs faded to be replaced by a throbbing pain in the skin of her throat and she remembered the bruise the massive vampire had inflicted earlier that day. Maddie rubbed at her neck to get the pain to recede, not wanting anything to remind her of being inside the Watcher’s Council.

Maddie leant her head back against the rough bark of the tree and blinked rapidly to stifle the tears that were threatening to fall. She didn’t know how she had managed not to cry since the watchers had told her they didn’t know how to send her home. She supposed it must have been shock, like what you experience after someone you love dies. Only she had lost everyone and everything she had ever known from 2020; she would now be long dead before any of them were born. Maddie cursed herself for not considering the possibility that the watchers wouldn’t have the answers she needed. She had been so sure that they would help her and that she would have been home by the end of the day that she now felt unbelievably foolish and stupid.

Maddie pushed away from the tree and began to march through the park to keep her mind occupied and prevent her muscles from freezing up; her sweat doused clothes beginning to cool more and make her shiver. She found a gravel path and began to follow it with no particular destination or direction in mind, her feet making a satisfying crunch on the gravel as she walked. Maddie walked with her head down, focussed on the almost black ground in front of her. She was so focussed that she almost didn’t notice the couple that were getting at it against a tree just a few feet away.

Maddie looked up when she heard the moaning from the woman before averting her gaze, planning to move past and leave them to it in privacy. As she got parallel to them, she heard a shrill squeal come from the couple which stopped suddenly after it started. Maddie stopped and whipped her head round to look at them again and saw that the man’s head was against the woman’s neck, her face screaming silently as the colour began to drain from it. Maddie sighed and began to walk up to them, reaching her hand into the inside pocket of her coat where she kept her stake. The same stake she made the day after she was blasted through time and her life changed forever.

‘Hey, loverboy!’ called Maddie, pulling the stake out and hiding it behind her back.

The man went still briefly before withdrawing from the woman’s neck and turning to face Maddie. The vamp growled at Maddie as he noticed her, the woman’s blood dripping from his lips onto his jacket. The woman slowly and hazily lifted her hand up to press against her neck where two puncture wounds were still oozing blood. 

‘You’re going to regret coming over here little girl,’ taunted the vampire, a smile now appearing on his bumpy face at the prospect of an extra meal.

‘I think you’re going to be the one regretting picking this park to eat your prey and bumping into me,’ replied Maddie, putting on sweeter tone to her voice. ‘You see I’ve had a really bad day and I’m looking for any excuse to beat something up.’

The vampire looked at her in amusement before laughing heartily, evidently slow on realising who she was. Not being recognised as the slayer was actually quite refreshing, at home in the future every vampire and their sire knew who she was, which often made fights a lot harder. Maddie felt a stab of pain at the memory of her home, the feeling immediately converting to anger directed at the arrogant vampire in front of her.

Maddie started towards the vampire whose laughter halted as she approached him. He went to grab her as soon as she was within arm’s length, but she ducked under his arms and kicked him in the ribs causing him to fall and roll onto the ground. She bought the stake out from behind her back and leapt over to him, planning on plunging the wood into his heart for a speedy finish. However, the vampire looked up and spotted the stake just before she was able to bring it down to his chest and he blocked it, kicking Maddie away from him before jumping up to his feet.

‘Slayer,’ he leered as Maddie also regained her footing.

‘I would give you a round of applause but, you know, I’d rather stick this into your chest.’

The vampire growled again and bared its teeth before advancing on Maddie again. The woman he’d been feeding from was now starting to come around only to be paralysed to the spot in terror as she watched Maddie fight with her attacker. Maddie soon bested the vamp, tripping him up with a sweeping kick and burying the stake in his chest, reducing him to dust. The woman made a small scream at the sight of it as Maddie stood up and turned to her. 

‘You alright?’ asked Maddie, probably with a little less sympathy in her voice than she should have had. The woman looked at her wide eyed, still clutching at her neck.

‘I… h-he… his face,’ she stuttered quietly. Maddie sighed and approached the woman slowly, placing her hands gently on her arms.

‘I know. It’s okay now,’ soothed Maddie. ‘You should get yourself home. It’s cold out.’

The woman looked at her again before nodding slowly, straightening up and beginning to walk away as fast as she could the way Maddie came, her red heels disappearing into the darkness. Maddie felt the familiar itch she got when out on patrol, the need to find more vamps and bring them to a satisfying dusty end. She resumed her walk through the park, picking up a brisk pace to keep herself warm. Eventually she emerged out of a gate onto another street, not knowing where she was or how far she had walked. Maddie found she liked the feeling of getting lost, it allowed her mind to clear and focus on the task of patrolling.

She began to walk down a street at random, admiring the old houses she passed as she went. As she continued further, she travelled down some roads that were busier; people coming in and out pubs and bars that were open for their nightly custom. Maddie noticed sone people regarding her with odd looks as she passed them and remembered that she was still wearing the skirt she’s ripped earlier that day. She decided to hurry along and take less populated routes to avoid attention. Maddie carried on like this aimlessly for what must have been hours as her mind began to process the reality that she was stuck there. Stuck in the 1920’s. What did this mean for her future? What did this mean for her slaying?

Tommy had said that she could continue to stay at Arrow House, and she was glad that meant she had an option for a roof over her head. But the last thing she wanted was to end up bored and without purpose as she had been on and off over the past two weeks. Thoughts came running at Maddie inside her head one after the other, making her head hurt something terrible, so she forced them away and tried to go back to focussing on the pavement ahead of her.

A little while later, Maddie rounded a corner where she looked up to see the spire of a church springing up over a line of rooftops. She made a bee line for the it, soon making it to the spiked iron railings surrounding it. She checked no-one was around before opening the gate and stepping into the churchyard.

Maddie sighed with relief at being surrounded by the familiar company of gravestones and the bodies of the dead buried six feet beneath her. She wandered between the grey slabs before finally coming to a stop next to a large stone sarcophagus. Maddie would be the first to admit that having a graveyard as her safe place was as weird and as ironic as it sounded but nevertheless, over the past ten years it was the one place she could rely on to be the same no matter which city she was in. Maddie felt her muscles give in and she slumped against the solid stone of the sarcophagus, sliding down it to sit against it with her knees to her chest.

Before Maddie could stop herself, she rested her forehead against her knees and burst into tears, grabbing handfuls of her hair with both hands. Hot tears poured down her cheeks as she sobbed, the shock finally leaving her so that grief could wash over her instead. The only life she had ever known now lost to her forever. Maddie remembered the people she had back home, the people who were waiting for her to come back from her patrol that she will never return from. She imagined that they would assume the worst, that she was either killed or turned. Then Maddie wondered if a new slayer would be called, or if one already had. Would they replace Maddie with the next slayer and move on just like that? How long would they mourn her? Maddie cried harder at this thought and decided not to think about it, there was no use wondering what was going to happen ninety-six years in the future.

What about the current slayer? Does this mean I don’t have to be a slayer anymore? Maddie considered this possibility. Being a slayer was the only thing Maddie knew how to do; she had never had a real job. Having two slayers at the same time was always a recipe for disaster but regardless, a slayer was what Maddie was, and she knew it would be impossible to fully turn her back on that. It was what she was good at, so she would have to find a new purpose. A new reason to carry on slaying and fighting evil. She just didn’t know how yet.

Maddie continued to cry into her knees, allowing herself to get it all out of her system now that she’d started, thankful to also be alone to finally let her emotions out. She knew that Ada and Tommy would mean well, but she didn’t want to break down in front of them and have them trying to comfort her like a child.

After a good half an hour of crying, Maddie’s eyes had thoroughly run out of tears; she finally calmed to just hiccupping and sniffling, wiping her snotty nose on her sleeve. She huffed and wiped her wet cheeks with her palms, no doubt smearing her face with dirt but not really caring. Maddie had been sat for so long that she had begun to shiver, but luckily for her she soon didn’t have to worry about the cold.

Maddie heard the vampire before she saw it. The bushes to Maddie’s left, about a hundred yards away rustled and she looked over at them, now on high alert. The female vamp emerged from the hedge, crouching as she looked around for anyone following her, before making to walk around the rear of the church. Maddie smirked to herself before slowly getting to her feet and making to follow the vamp, keeping low and pulling out her trusty stake yet again. The vamp made her way towards a small mausoleum that was tucked away in the corner of the graveyard. Maddie didn’t come across many mausoleums and gave an appreciative nod in recognition, considering how difficult it is for a vamp to snap up such sought-after accommodation. Maddie quickly caught up to the vamp and announced herself in cheery fashion.

‘Nice digs!’

The vamp whipped around, snarling in Maddie’s face but she’d gotten so close that Maddie simply plunged the stake into the vamp’s chest before she had chance to take a swipe at her. She disintegrated into dust at Maddie’s feet as Maddie wafted the dust out of the air around her. She went up to the mausoleum door and pushed it open. What greeted her was a typical vamp nest, various odds and ends scattered over the interior of the little stone building, some makeshift bedding draped over the stone coffin in the centre. Satisfied that the nest was only home to one vamp, Maddie shut the mausoleum up again and went to do a lap of the graveyard.

She knew that Tommy and Ada would be worrying about her by now. In fact, Maddie was almost positive that Tommy would be beside himself, even though he wouldn’t be showing it externally. Maddie wondered how long she had actually been gone for. By the state of the drunk people she passed in the street she imagined that it was past midnight by now and considered heading back to Ada’s house and putting them out of their misery. But in truth, Maddie didn’t feel ready to go back and face them. She wanted a bit more time to work through her emotions alone and deep down didn’t really care what time it was.

Maddie spent the rest of the night on her feet and used those feet to kick a fair bit of vampire ass. It was the most amount of action she’d had since she got there and realised that London must have been the centre for vampire and demon activity in the 1920’s. Maddie went from church to church and park to park, not stopping even once. She encountered more vampires and even a couple of demons, including a huge chaos demon whose slime got all over Maddie’s clothes as she pinned it down and snapped its horns off to use to slay it.

After many hours of tireless grinding, Maddie finally ended up in yet another church graveyard, punching yet another vamps face in. This particular vamp was taking great joy in taunting her, throwing jibes at her left right and centre as it circled Maddie like a shark. It soon started a villain monologue, which proved to be the vamp’s downfall. Maddie looked up and saw the tell-tale signs of sunrise growing over the rooftops behind the vamp, the sky gradually becoming a lighter shade of blue and slivers of sunlight creeping in. Maddie smiled but looked at the vamp, pretending to be impressed by whatever it was drabbling on about. She kept the vamp facing her, so it kept its back to the sunrise, nodding and humming to its rambling as she watched the sun begin to rise behind the rooftops.

‘I think you’ve forgotten something,’ said Maddie, interjecting in the middle of the vamp’s speech.

‘Oh, and what’s that?’ said the vamp, smiling imperiously.

‘Sunrise.’

Maddie pointed behind the vampire just as the sun peeked up over the rooftop. The vampire spun around and brought its arms up to shield itself hopelessly as the sun’s rays hit it. The vamp burst into flames and screamed before crumbling into a pile of dust. Maddie chuckled to herself and shook her head.

‘Imbecile.’

Maddie sighed and took a moment to enjoy the sunlight on her dirty, sweat covered face but soon felt exhaustion tug at her brain, telling her it was time to sleep. I’ve been out longer than I wanted, she thought guiltily. Now feeling considerably better about her situation after a night of taking out her emotions on helpless vamps, she now thought about how worried Tommy and Ada must be by now. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to stay out all night. Then Maddie remembered that she still needed to walk back to Ada’s, which after the night’s expedition would probably take her at least three hours. She was sure she had traversed half of London over the course of the night but luckily, she was sure she knew how to get back.

For the first couple of hours of Maddie’s return walk the streets were still empty, and she soon passed a clock on the front of building which told her it was nearly half seven. Then, as if all at once, the residents of London flooded the streets and roads. Maddie kept her head down and tried to avoid detection by the commuters, schoolchildren and other miscellaneous people but failed miserably. They gave Maddie a wide berth, probably assuming Maddie was a beggar considering her tattered state.

Maddie felt a rush of relief when she turned onto a road she finally recognised as being a couple of streets away from Ada’s. It must have been nearly nine o’clock and Maddie picked up the pace into a casual jog, now more concerned that Tommy and Ada would be fearing the worst by now.

Finally, Ada’s house came into view along the street and Maddie slowed to walk up to the steps. Maddie looked up and saw Ada’s face in the sitting room window; she gave a shocked look before disappearing from view. Oh, shit, thought Maddie as she stopped in front of the front door as Ada threw it open.

‘Maddie!’ she cried, throwing her arms around Maddie and hugging her tightly before she pulled back and took Maddie’s hands in hers. ‘Your hands are freezing love, where have you been?’

‘Ah, I’m sorry Ada… I… er,’ Maddie fumbled with her words as she was pulled into the warm comforting house by Ada who shut the door behind them. Ada sighed and shook her head at Maddie with a small smile on her lips.

‘It’s alright Maddie, you’re okay and that’s all that matters.’

Maddie followed Ada into the sitting room and was ordered by her to sit on the sofa before a piping hot cup of tea was put in her hand, shortly followed by a bacon sandwich. Ada always knew how to make Maddie feel better. However, Maddie was shocked to see that Tommy hadn’t appeared and then realised that his car hadn’t been out the front of the house.

‘Where’s Tommy?’ asked Maddie before taking her first bite of sandwich. 

‘He left for Camden half an hour ago,’ Ada replied, and Maddie recalled Alfie’s parting comment to Tommy at the boxing match. ‘He stayed up all night waiting for you to come back. He refused to leave that chair by the window. Eventually he sent out some men to find you and even went out in the car looking for you at one point.’ 

Maddie felt guilt slice at her gut and suddenly her appetite disappeared, causing her to abandon her last bite of sandwich. She looked down into her lap shamefully, now regretting her little night-time trip, it now all seeming like a toddler’s tantrum.

‘I’m sorry Ada. I didn’t want to make either of you worry I just… I just needed to be alone to think things over by myself.’

Ada waved her hand at Maddie dismissively and scoffed, ‘Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s not like he hasn’t stayed out all night to do exactly the same thing.’

Maddie sighed and laughed reluctantly but was glad to hear that Ada wasn’t angry.

‘You’re absolutely filthy Mads, what happened to you?’ questioned Ada, dragging her eyes over Maddie’s form, no doubt regretting her decision to let Maddie sit on her clean sofa.

‘Vampires and more vampires and a chaos demon that covered me in slime,’ said Maddie matter-of-factly, smirking sheepishly. Ada laughed and shook her head at Maddie before getting up from her chair.

‘Tommy asked me to call him when you got back,’ she announced. Maddie nodded and got up herself, the feeling of food in her tummy exacerbating her exhaustion and followed Ada into the hallway.

‘I think I might get some sleep if that’s ok?’ she asked. Ada nodded but stopped Maddie as she made for the stairs.

‘Tommy wants you to stay with him at his house, but I just want you to know that you’re welcome to stay here with me for as long as you like if you don’t want to go back to Arrow House straight away,’ Ada offered, giving her a warm smile. Maddie felt her heart swell at Ada’s words and smiled widely in return.

‘Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind,’ said Maddie as she began to climb the stairs.

Maddie heard Ada wait until she had opened her bedroom door before picking up the phone to call Tommy. Maddie winced at what his reaction would be and decided not to try and guess as she shut the door behind her. Her room was toastie and warm from the crackling fire that had been lit for her and Maddie didn’t realise just how cold she’d gotten. The heat and the sight of her bed was enough for her to suddenly feel her eyelids begin to droop. Maddie wrestled her boots off and threw them to the floor before collapsing on the bed still in her tatty, grubby clothes. Her eyes closed and sleep took her as soon as her head hit the pillow, and she began to dream for the first time since travelling back through time.

***

Screaming. Shouting. Voices that Maddie recognised but couldn’t pick out reverberated around her head as images flashed by. Faces of people, of Tommy, Arthur, John, Finn, Polly, Michael and faces of monsters, of vampires. All swirling around together, the image of what was happening blurred from Maddie’s view, but she knew it was bad.

‘Maddie.’

She heard Tommy’s voice more clearly now, the scenery of her dream now beginning to wobble and shake around her.

‘Maddie, hey.’

Maddie’s eyes opened slowly, her room coming into view gradually as she registered a hand gently shaking her shoulder. She rolled over with a groan to see Tommy sat next to her on the bed, looking down at her with a relieved look on his face. Maddie covered her mouth as she yawned, slowly coming up to a sitting position.

‘Oh, hi Tommy,’ she said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She looked up to meet his eyes and saw the dark circles under them from the lack of sleep. He sighed and cupped Maddie’s face with his hands.

‘Are you alright?’ he asked with a strained voice.

‘I’m fine,’ she replied timidly before giving an apologetic smile. ‘I’m sorry for running off Tommy.’

He looked into her eyes with a steely stare before shaking his head, removing his hands from Maddie’s face.

‘Don’t apologise. I should know better than to worry about you. But I’ve found that I can’t help it,’ he said, looking over at Maddie more seriously with the last sentence.

Maddie bit her lip as she watched Tommy turn away and run his hands through his hair and over his face. She looked down at herself and remembered her dishevelled state. She would have been in her clothes for more than twenty-four hours now and she was definitely beginning to smell. Maddie shut her eyes and grimaced at letting herself go to bed in such a gross state. She hastily covered her bare leg with her skirt, conscious of her stockings that were caked in dirt and dried slime. Just then Ada appeared in the doorway and looked at Tommy disapprovingly.

‘I told him that you would be asleep, but as usual he didn’t listen,’ she complained, folding her arms over her chest. Tommy ignored his sister and turned back to Maddie.

‘We’re driving back home in an hour. And we can’t be late.’ 

The way Tommy said ‘home’ like Maddie had been living there for years made her smile. He’d already put aside what had happened the previous day and now considered her a permanent member of his family, whether she liked it or not. She felt a rush of hope at the thought that she already had a new family in this new home that she now had to make a life in. 

‘I told him that you could stay here if you wanted to Maddie,’ said Ada, looking at Maddie in encouragement for her to say what she really wanted. Tommy looked to Maddie with a neutral expression although she could see his eyes pleading to her silently. 

‘Is that what you want, Maddie?’ asked Tommy. Maddie thought about it and realised that she missed Arrow House, and Birmingham in general. It may be several decades too early, but it was still her city. She sighed and shook her head.

‘Thank you, Ada but I think I’ll be okay,’ smiled Maddie. Ada smiled back and nodded. ‘Can I at least get a wash first?’

Both Ada and Tommy laughed as Tommy stood up to leave, turning back to address Maddie as he stood in the doorway.

‘Just be ready in an hour.’

Ada fetched hot water for Maddie’s bath as Maddie stripped off yet another set of ruined clothes, scrunching them up into a ball as Ada returned.

‘I think I’ll just burn these,’ laughed Maddie.

‘Please do. I didn’t want to say anything, but they do have a unique smell,’ said Ada, making Maddie even more self-conscious. 

Ada also brought Maddie some of her clothes as she had gotten through all the items she’d brought with her for her stay. Maddie submerged herself underwater to soak her pungent hair and scrubbed every inch of her body within an inch of its life so she would resemble a normal human being again. Despite wanting to stay in the soapy water, her hour quickly ebbed away, and Maddie didn’t put it past Tommy to burst in to tell her to get a move on. She dragged herself out of the bath and quickly dried off and dressed in the crisp fresh clothes. All evidence of last night was now gone, excluding the bruises she’d acquired from her visit to the watchers, and Maddie got the feeling like she had been reborn. Reborn as a 1920’s woman.

Maddie quickly braided her wet hair before gathering her up bag with her modern clothes and Tommy’s butterfly knife in it. They were the only two possessions Maddie could say she truly owned, and she was going to treasure them more than anything she’d ever considered valuable back home. She went downstairs and found Tommy waiting in the living room with Ada, they were whispering to each other as Maddie entered and immediately stopped when they noticed her. Maddie looked between the two of them suspiciously, wondering what conversation she had just walked in on.

‘I’m ready to go,’ she announced with a smile.

‘Good. Let’s go,’ said Tommy, not hesitating as he walked out of the living room. Maddie and Ada rolled their eyes in unison before embracing in a tight hug; Ada rubbing Maddie’s back soothingly.

‘What were you two whispering about when I walked in?’ enquired Maddie as she clung onto Ada, wishing that she could come with them back to Birmingham.

‘Nothing important,’ replied Ada a little too quickly as she pulled back from the hug. ‘Now you’d better get going before he starts blowing the horn. The last thing I need is my neighbours complaining again.’

Ada began to shoo Maddie out of the door before she could question her further. Tommy was already in the car with the engine running, looking at his pocket watch impatiently. Maddie put her bag in the back and got into the passenger seat.

‘I’ll see you soon Mads,’ called Ada as Maddie shut the car door. ‘I’ll be down to visit in a couple of weeks.’

Tommy pulled the car away as Maddie waved to Ada before sitting back into her seat. She turned to Tommy and brought her knees up to her chest. Maddie was glad that she had decided to go back to Arrow House with him, it was now the only familiar place to her, and she realised that she needed some familiarity in her life right now.

‘What time is it?’ asked Maddie.

‘Three,’ replied Tommy.

Maddie tossed up the idea of going back to sleep for the journey. Not only would it keep her from getting bored and winding Tommy up again, but she could do with a few more hours kip after her night-time adventure. Then Maddie recalled her dream. She had forgotten about it as soon as she woke up like most dreams but now it came creeping back into her head. Maddie remembered that the Shelby’s had been there, that there was screaming and that there were vampires as well. The desire to go back to sleep went away rapidly, the desire to not continue the dream quickly replacing it. Maddie had a lot of dreams like that one, which more often than not turned out to predict a whole load of nothing. However, Maddie knew better than to assume the best when it came to slayer dreams.

Whatever her dream was trying to tell her, Maddie knew she needed to stay sharp. She had a feeling that Tommy and the Shelby’s were probably going to be in danger and there was no way she was going to let anything happen to her new family. Maddie decided it best not to tell Tommy about her dream. He would only try to figure out what it meant, and they would likely end up rushing to conclusions which would only succeed in putting them all in more danger. So, Maddie kept her mouth shut and decided to try and engage Tommy in conversation. As she opened her mouth to say something, Tommy beat her to it.

‘You can come to the office tomorrow if you want. I’ll show you the ropes and how the company runs. Then if you like what you see then I’ll find you a job in the office.’

Maddie blinked at him, not sure whether he was being serious or not. Did he just offer her a job?

‘Wait… you mean like a real job? A job that you do in the daytime?’ asked Maddie, the thought of an actual nine to five honest job beginning to excite her.

‘Yes. And you can still help out with the work you were doing before if you want to,’ Tommy chuckled, a smile hinting at his lips as he saw Maddie’s face brighten at the prospect of her own job. Maddie nodded in agreement with Tommy, she knew he would try his best to keep her involved in the more illegal side of the business, but she didn’t mind. Someone would have to keep an eye on John, Arthur, and the rest of them and stop them getting into trouble, Maddie thought.

‘Does that mean I get a salary?’ she asked, now more interested in earning her own money for the first time. Tommy hummed a small laugh as he looked over at Maddie.

‘Yes.’

‘Thank you, Tommy,’ said Maddie. ‘I’ve never had a real job before, and I’ll even have my own money to buy stuff.’

She really wanted to lean over and hug Tommy but realised that they’d probably end up in a ditch if she did, so she settled for leaning over and kissing him on the cheek instead. He looked over at her and gave her a half smile before turning back to the road.

‘You’re an honorary Shelby now, Maddie. And you’ll get the money and reputation to go with it,’ he said, making Maddie’s smile even more. 

As much as she was going to miss her home, she was chuffed to know that she had a new one waiting for her here. Maddie would mourn her friends and her old life but eventually she knew she would be able to put it behind her and start a whole new life in a whole new time.

***

Maddie managed to fill her time on the car journey with thinking about all her fond memories from home. Taking the time to remember what her life was like before all this madness happened. She even shed a tear at one point and hastily wiped it away before Tommy could notice. Maddie wanted to tell him about her life; to share all her life experiences with him but she wasn’t sure that it was the right time. But she hoped that one day they might end up sharing more personal parts of themselves with each other. 

Now that Maddie was staying, she thought about what that meant for her and Tommy. Even though he hadn’t said it, she knew that he must be feeling partly glad that Maddie was still around. When Maddie looked over at him as his cold eyes focussed on the road, she felt her heart flutter and her stomach swirl. She had to fight to draw her eyes away from the hard lines of his face and the roundness of his lips as they pursed around his cigarette. Maddie had fallen in love with him over the past two weeks, there was no denying it. She knew that Tommy also felt something for her, she only hoped that it was love as well. 

But what about Lizzie? Maddie recalled her knowledge of Tommy’s and the Shelby’s future, and now realised that history would definitely be changing with her around. Now that she was in the picture, the course the Shelby Company could change completely and that would also mean that Maddie would no longer know what was going to happen; to them anyway. There was still the matter of the second world war which Maddie would need to be keep unknown to them. Urg, time travel is such a mind fuck, thought Maddie. 

She felt a knew weight of responsibility on her shoulders. The responsibility to not screw up the future and possibly destroy it by stepping a butterfly or something. Maddie knew enough about dimensions to know that she couldn’t erase her own existence. In fact, Maddie contemplated whether a whole new dimension had been created around her; an alternate version of history where she lived in in the twentieth century instead of the twenty-first. Well it’s better than living in the dimension with nothing but shrimp, she decided.

To stop herself from getting to bogged down with dimensional law and technicalities, Maddie chatted with Tommy about his day and whether Alfie was still as insufferable as he had been a couple of days ago. She asked him again whether she could punch him the next time they met, but Tommy refused, although he did chuckle at the idea. Tommy was surprisingly talkative compared to normal and Maddie wondered whether he was feeling alright and even asked him this as a joke, to which he didn’t reply.

When Arrow House finally loomed into view, Maddie sat up in her seat to take in the sight. As they pulled up the driveway closer to the house, Arthur and John came out of the front door. Maddie admitted she was glad to see them, their cheeky smiles a welcome sight as she got out of the car.

‘Bloody hell Mads! I thought we’d seen the back of you!’ shouted John with a grin. Maddie gave them a rueful smile as she approached them, shrugging her shoulders.

‘Sorry to disappoint,’ she replied.

‘What happened eh? Tommy wouldn’t tell us anything,’ said Arthur, throwing Tommy an annoyed look as he joined them. Maddie wasn’t keen on recounting the story, but she saw Arthur and John’s confused looks and decided to fill them in.

‘In a nutshell, we got there, and they didn’t know how to send me home,’ sighed Maddie. John and Arthur exchanged looks before turning back to Maddie.

‘But I thought these watcher blokes knew almost everything?’ said John.

‘Emphasis on the ‘almost’. They’re about as much use as a fucking chocolate teapot,’ grumbled Maddie.

The three brothers laughed at her bizarre turn of phrase and Maddie found that she could get used to be being the odd girl from the future if she could make the Shelby’s laugh so easily.

‘So, does this mean you’re staying then?’ asked Arthur with a smile.

‘Yeah, looks like it,’ nodded Maddie.

‘Well I for one am glad you’re staying,’ said John before pushing Maddie playfully, making her take a step back. He went to start tickling her and Maddie shook her head at him.

‘Don’t even think about it, John!’

He didn’t listen and attempted to tickle Maddie’s waist but she dodged him and jumped on his back and wrapped her arm around his neck, the two of them giggling and wrestling like children as Arthur laughed and Tommy shook his head in disdain. Maddie jumped off John’s back and pushed him away before they all headed inside.

Frances greeted them and gave Maddie a sour look as she walked in.

‘Nice to see you back again, Miss,’ said Frances with a fake smile. Well, Maddie couldn’t expect everyone to be happy that she was still around.

‘Frances, please inform the kitchen to start preparations for dinner,’ ordered Tommy as he handed her his coat and hat. 

‘Oh… er Tom, that job you asked us to do. It’s ready downstairs,’ said John, avoiding Maddie’s gaze as she looked at them inquisitively.

‘What job?’ asked Maddie. First Ada, and now John. Why were they acting so strangely?

Tommy looked at John with irritation and sighed, ‘Yes, John. Thank you.’

John nodded and smiled cluelessly and he and Arthur went into the drawing room leaving Maddie to cock her eyebrow at Tommy expectantly.

‘What are you lot hiding?’ asked Maddie. Tommy let a smile hint at the corners of his lips before turning away to follow Arthur and John.

‘Come on, let’s have a drink.’

Maddie and Tommy joined Arthur and John in the drawing room where she sat and drank a pint of beer that John had brought up from the cellar in preparation for her return. They asked her about what happened at the Watcher’s Council and Maddie retold the story about her battle with the huge vampire and instinctively rubbed the bruise on her neck as she recounted the battle. John and Arthur listened to her captivated, asking for details about the fight like little boys talking about superheroes.

‘I heard you went on a little walkabout around London last night,’ said Arthur once Maddie had finished her thrilling tale. Tommy, who had been stood in the corner of the room looking bored suddenly stood straighter and looked over at Maddie. She smiled at him apologetically, still feeling guilty for keeping him awake the whole night with worry.

‘Er yeah… I suppose I did,’ said Maddie bashfully. 

She proceeded to tell them about her impromptu patrol through London, describing all the baddies she’d slain through the night. She grew more enthusiastic in telling her second story when her audience gave shocked and impressed looks to each other, and she started mining her fights to illicit laughter from Arthur and John and an amused smirk from Tommy. John nearly rolled on the floor from laughter when Maddie finished telling them about the vamp that forgot about the sunrise. 

Maddie saw Tommy walk over to her as she laughed with John and finished off her pint, enjoying the taste of the golden liquid. He put the glass of whiskey he had on the table and held his hand out to Maddie. She looked at him in confusion before slowly putting her hand in his.

‘I think it’s time to show Maddie what we’ve been working on, eh?’ he said as Maddie stood up and looked between the brothers questioningly. Arthur clapping his hands and rubbing his palms together.

‘Finally.’

Tommy led Maddie out of the drawing room and through the house to the door that lead to the cellar. Maddie gave it a sceptical look before Tommy opened it and led them down the stairs to a musty smelling, damp corridor where he stopped and turned back to her.

‘Close your eyes,’ he said with a smug smile tugging at his lips. Arthur and John sniggered and shuffled around behind her and Tommy threw them a warning look.

‘Okay, what the hell is going on? You do know that this is weird right?’ huffed Maddie, racking her brains trying to figure out what they were up to.

‘Close your eyes,’ repeated Tommy. Maddie searched his eyes for signs of trickery before sighing in defeat and shitting her eyelids.

Maddie felt Tommy put his hands on her shoulders lightly before hearing him walk around to stand behind her and lifting his hands to cover her eyes. 

‘Good. Now, no peeking.’

Tommy began to guide Maddie forward, keeping her eyes covered as she held her arms out in front of her comically. She heard either John or Arthur walk on ahead and open a door a few feet in front of her. Maddie laughed at the ridiculousness of the fact that Tommy was covering her eyes, she didn’t expect him to engage in something so silly and immature. He continued to guide her forward and Maddie felt the floor beneath her feet change from stone to wood, realising that she must have walked into a large room as their footsteps started to echo.

‘Keep them closed,’ Tommy said, removing his hands from her face. She could almost hear the smile on his face as he spoke. Right, now she really wanted to know what was going on. ‘Alright, you can open them now.’

Maddie opened her eyes and looked at the picture before her, although her brain took a few seconds to work out what she was looking at. She scanned the room around her and took inventory of the items in it. A punching bag hanging from the ceiling, vaulting platforms, a springboard, a high bar, dumbbells and weights and an archery target and a number of what looked like crash and floor mats scattered around the room. Was this a training room? Then Maddie realised what the surprise was. They’d made the basement into her own personal training room. She could feel Tommy, Arthur and John staring at her to assess her reaction, but Maddie couldn’t help but let her mouth drop open when she realised what she was looking at.

‘Is this… for me?’ she asked dumbly as she took a few steps further into the room, the shock stopping her from being able to use longer words.

‘Yes,’ said Tommy. ‘I thought bringing you something you had at home would help you to feel better. And keep you busy in your spare time.’

Maddie turned to look at him in disbelief. Was he serious? She couldn’t believe that Tommy would do something so thoughtful, and so perfect for her. He gave her a small smile before John spoke up and started walking around all the equipment.

‘We got all the stuff from the local boxing and gymnastics clubs,’ he said. ‘Stayed up all night getting it ready for ya.’

‘Thank you,’ she said with a chuckle, still not quite believing what she was looking at.

Maddie went over to the barbell which was loaded with about sixty kilograms and picked it up with one hand, testing the balance of it before dropping it back on the floor. They watched her with fascination as they usually did, and she realised that they would probably never tire of watching her show off her powers.

‘But we haven’t shown you the best bit!’ chirped Arthur suddenly.

He walked over to a large wooden cabinet against the wall and opened it. Inside was a selection of weapons including a mixture of swords, throwing knives, axes, bows and crossbows. Maddie gasped and ran over to the cabinet to get a closer look. It wasn’t the arsenal that the watchers had, she remembered feeling like a kid in a sweet shop seeing that wall of death and mayhem. But these weapons were still impressive, and all hers, to train and go patrolling with as much as she liked.

‘Where the hell did you get these from?’ asked Maddie. Old weapons like these couldn’t have been easy to come by, even for people with as many resources as the Peaky Blinders.

‘We… convinced the museum in Birmingham to make a charitable donation. They were reluctant but anything is available to us with a little persuasion,’ said Arthur with an edge of menace in his voice.  
Maddie sincerely hoped that they hadn’t cut anyone to get all these weapons and gym equipment but found she didn’t much care once she picked up the crossbow. It was the perfect weight and the wood was polished and strong. 

‘Give it a go then Mads,’ chuckled John, looking at her eagerly to show off the weapon.

Maddie smiled cheekily at them before grabbing a crossbow bolt from the cabinet and walking to stand in line with the target on the other side of the room. She loaded the crossbow before taking aim; she squeezed the trigger and the bolt released and buried itself in the centre of the target. Her onlookers clapped raucously as Maddie examine the crossbow more closely. The trigger was a little stiff and she realised that it probably hadn’t been used as a weapon in many years. She would need to do a little tinkering to get it up to scratch but otherwise it was perfect.

Maddie put the crossbow back in the cabinet before taking a walk around all the other things in the room, stopping next to the punching bag and smiling as she felt the thick leather under her fingers. She looked up to see that the bag was attached to a hook on the ceiling with thin rope and smirked as she turned to the men who had been watching her walk around the room with amused looks on their faces.

‘We’re going to have to sort this out though,’ said Maddie, indicating to the punching bag.

Tommy and his brothers looked at each other in confusion before Tommy said, ‘How so?’

Maddie pursed her lips to stifle a laugh before taking a slight step back from the bag. She whipped around and swung her leg out to plant a hard kick to the punching bag with a grunt. The rope holding the bag up snapped and the bag flew the few feet between it and the wall. It smacked into the wall with a thud followed by another as it fell to the ground. She looked back to Tommy apologetically but with a playful grin as he, Arthur and John stared at the her with their eyebrows raised.

‘Well, we’ll be sure to chain it to the ceiling next time,’ said Tommy with an amused smile, walking over to Maddie and putting his hand on her arm and squeezing it gently. ‘So, how did we do?’

Maddie looked around the room again at her very own training room and began to feel tears sting her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hands and sighed. It was perfect. Maddie was afraid that if she said this out loud however that she would end up crying and hiccupping over her words.

She turned to look up into Tommy’s eyes briefly and instead of crying threw her arms around his neck and collided her lips with his. Tommy inhaled sharply before wrapping his arms around Maddie’s waist to hug her to him. She heard Arthur and John snigger somewhere to her right, but she didn’t care, beginning to kiss Tommy with more enthusiasm which he returned.

‘We’ll er… leave you two alone,’ Arthur said, and Maddie heard their footsteps walk out of the room, stifling their laughter as they walked away before she heard the door shut behind them.

As soon the door was shut, Tommy began to run his hands over Maddie’s body eagerly, grasping at her hips as she moaned and gasped hazily against his lips. Her head was swimming, all the sexual tension that had been building since they met now beginning to boil over. Only now there was nothing to stop them from going all the way. 

On hearing her pleasured whines Tommy broke their mouths apart only to start assaulting her neck with his lips. He kissed and nipped at the sensitive skin as his hands wandered further downwards, pulling her dress up to run his hand up her leg and to her ass while the other hand pressed into her back to keep her against him.

Maddie, determined not to let Tommy have all the fun, caressed the cropped hair on the back of his head before moving up and grasping at the longer locks on top. She tilted his head further into her neck and he hummed deeply against her clavicle, the sensation making her whole body vibrate and her pussy throb. Maddie started to kiss Tommy’s cheek and jaw to match his actions before planting teasing kisses to the soft area of skin under his ear. It earned the reaction she wanted as he began to breathe deeper and to pull Maddie’s dress back over her shoulder so he could kiss along her collar bone.

Maddie smiled into his neck before running her lips up again to start kissing and nibbling his ear lobe. Tommy froze for a split second before growling devilishly into her ear. He lifted Maddie up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he used one hand to hold onto the underside of her upper thigh and the other to fist a handful of her hair. Tommy walked forward until Maddie’s back hit the cold stone wall, grunting as the weight of Tommy’s solid body trapped her there. Their lips met again, and Maddie whined as she felt his erection press against her pelvis as he pushed his hips against hers. 

Tommy gathered her dress up to her waist and Maddie became aware of the dampness of her underwear as the cold air struck the bare skin of her upper thighs and creeped up under her knickers. He grasped her hip bones roughly as Maddie grabbed at Tommy’s waistcoat, so overwhelmed by her arousal that she didn’t know what else to do with her hands. Tommy moved his hips away slightly and Maddie felt his hand slowly slide across her stomach along the top of her underwear. He then started to move his hand down under her knickers and her breath hitched in her throat, causing her to stop moving her lips against his and to moan into his mouth. Tommy let out a deep gravelly rumble from within his chest and began to kiss along her jaw and neck again. He ran his palm unbearably slowly down Maddie’s stomach towards the apex of her thighs, her skin buzzing uncontrollably. She could feel the wetness practically dripping from her as he inched his fingers closer to her pussy.

Then the door flung open and Maddie snapped her eyes open to see Finn stride into the room, not immediately noticing them, ‘Hey Mads, do you like -.’

He stopped mid-sentence as his eyes landed on her and Tommy, those eyes widening as he became frozen to the spot as he stared dumbly at them. Tommy’s hand was gone from between her legs in a flash, although he continued to pin her against the wall as he turned his head to the side and pointed at Finn furiously.

‘Fuck off, now!’ he yelled as Maddie began to giggle quietly as Finn averted his gaze before turning and hastily stumbling back out of the room. The rest of the family must have arrived, and Maddie imagined Arthur and John had sent Finn downstairs as an idea of a practical joke which she admitted was quite funny. However, Tommy was clearly done with their heated make out sessions ending prematurely and wasn’t going to let this one end the same way.

Tommy turned back to Maddie, staring into her eyes making her silly giggling cease instantaneously. His pupils were so blown that his eyes looked black like a shark’s, desire and lust making his face look even sexier than ususal as he raked his eyes down Maddie’s body before suddenly pressing his hand to her pussy over her underwear causing a strained gasp to escape her lips. Tommy’s eyes were back on hers again as he began to rub the heel of his hand into her clit slowly, watching her as she closed her eyes and let her head fall against the wall as she struggled to contain her whining.

‘Fuck,’ Tommy mumbled into her neck as he began to nuzzle and kiss it again. 

Spurred on by his exclamation, Maddie pushed her hips forward to trap is hand between them before grabbing Tommy’s hair and forcing his head back up so she could kiss him properly. She ground her hips against his hand as she kissed him more aggressively, bringing his bottom lip into her mouth to bite it teasingly. Tommy fought back and tried to move his head back to her neck, but she held him fast to her lips. They struggled playfully like this for a while, Maddie winding him up more by laughing breathily in between kisses and making him growl with frustration.

Tommy eventually grasped Maddie around the waist and moved them away from the wall and carried her across the room as they continued to kiss passionately. All of a sudden, Maddie felt herself falling backwards and she landed on her back on one of the crash mats with Tommy on top of her. His cock felt marble hard through his trousers as it pressed against her clit torturously. They writhed against each other lustily as they pawed at each other’s clothes but not actually removing them.

Tommy probably thought that he had Maddie trapped now that all his weight was on top of her and she laughed internally at his naivety. She was getting thoroughly bored of their clothes still being on, especially Tommy’s. He’d gotten to see her in her underwear or without much fabric on her body a few times now where she had seen exactly nothing in return. Maddie pushed on Tommy’s chest, creating a small gap between them, and proceeded to grab the front of his vest and rip it open, the buttons flying off in different directions. She would be damned if she was going to fumble around undoing the buttons like last time.

Tommy chuckled as Maddie pulled the vest off his shoulders along with his suspenders before he shook them all the way off as she undid his tie, tossing it to one side and ripping his shirt open also, only to find an undershirt underneath. How many layers did the man wear? Huffing in frustration, Maddie decided to tease Tommy as he had done to her by running her hands down his torso until she reached his trousers, continuing her course over the rough fabric until she felt the hardness of his cock under her palm.

Tommy hissed as he leant his head against Maddie’s neck and moaned when she grasped his erection and began to move her hand up and down. She began to nibble his earlobe again making him swear inaudibly into her shoulder and he grabbed her wrist to stop her rubbing. Tommy sat up on his heels and looked down at Maddie from above. His hair was sticking up messily and his shirt was half hanging off. She licked her lips at the sight, it was the first time she had seen Tommy looking anyway short of pristine. She saw Tommy’s eyes follow her lips and smiled seductively at him as he began to run his hands along her calves that were resting on either side of his hips. 

He caressed them up and down a few times before removing Maddie’s shoes gently and running his hands back up her legs, this time passing her knees and stroking up her thighs to where her dress was pooled on her pelvis. Tommy’s hands went under her underwear and he brought the tips of his fingers torturously close to her pussy before pulling back, making Maddie sigh with frustration. She sat up, grabbing Tommy’s shoulders so she could straddle his lap and kissed him angrily before speaking.

‘Take the dress off,’ she ordered huskily, looking into his dark eyes as she spoke.

Tommy raised an eyebrow at her before smirking smugly and quickly undoing the buttons at the back of her dress with surprising dexterity.

‘At least I won’t ruin your clothes when I take them off,’ he taunted, whispering into Maddie’s ear seductively as he reached around to undo the buttons. She could hear the devious smile on his lips and bristled at his cheek.

‘Shut up,’ she replied with a huff, lifting her arms up to allow Tommy to lift the dress over her head. As soon as it was off Maddie finally yanked his shirt off, followed swiftly by his stupid undershirt.

Finally able to see the skin of his bare torso, Maddie dragged her eyes over Tommy’s toned chest and arms, her gaze lingering on the small scars and tattoos. She ran her hands over his chest and felt the solid muscle and felt her skin tingle feverishly. The sensation spread down to her clit which throbbed more, begging to be touched. Maddie barely registered Tommy’s hands caressing their way up her back until he reached the clasp of her bra. She held her breath involuntarily as he undid it with one hand before pulling the straps down her arms, the cold air hitting her breasts and rapidly making her nipples harden.

Maddie watched as Tommy moved his gaze down to her chest and gently slid his hands around her ribs to cup her breasts with both hands. Their lips met again as Tommy began to draw slow circles around Maddie’s nipples with his thumbs, eliciting more moans from her and leading to her grinding up against his cock to gain some friction. Tommy tried to still Maddie’s hips with one of his hands, deserting her breast pull her hips tightly against him but it proved pointless. She continued to roll her hips against his more forcefully now that she knew he wanted her to stop.

‘Stop that,’ Tommy growled against Maddie’s lips before pinching her nipple between his thumb and index finger as a warning, although all it achieved was a high-pitched gasp of pleasure from Maddie. She shook her head and smiled; she would keep annoying him like this all night it if this was the consequence.

‘Nuh-uh,’ she hummed naughtily.

Tommy growled again before leaning forward and returning them to a lying position with Maddie beneath him before starting to kiss and bite at her neck again as Maddie continued to try and grind her hips up. Soon, Tommy’s lips slowed and became gentler as he brushed his lips down over her skin, ending up between her breasts. Maddie stopped moving and she felt him smile against the soft skin of her chest. She began to breathe faster still as he slowly ran his lips over one breast and drew her nipple into his mouth, sucking on it gently. Pleasure rippled through Maddie’s body and she arched her back, lifting off the mat and placing her hand on the back of Tommy’s head as he began to flick her nipple with his tongue. Electric shocks of arousal surged over her skin and between her legs and Maddie let out her loudest moan yet, swept away with the feeling of Tommy’s lips on her body.

Tommy responded by moving to the other breast and repeating the same process, as if playing Maddie like an instrument to try and get her to make new sounds. When she stopped arching her back and relaxed, enjoying the feeling of Tommy’s mouth on her breasts, he grazed her nipple with his teeth before beginning to kiss down Maddie’s stomach. She focussed on a point on the ceiling and bit her lip to keep herself from moaning too loudly as Tommy approached the top of her underwear. He planted kisses down her abdomen, across her hip and then up her inner thigh. Maddie lifted her head up to look down and met Tommy’s eyes which were fixed on her, watching her face as he explored her body and found her sweet spots.

He moved his hands under Maddie’s hips and undid the button on her underwear before slowly dragging them down her legs, kissing her knees as she bent her legs so he could get them over her feet. She couldn’t take her eyes of Tommy as he softly nudged her legs apart to open them again and rest them on either side of his legs. Maddie’s breath began to shake, and she realised how nervous she was, it had been a while since she had been in this position with a man she loved touching her like this. Tommy noticed the change and came down to place a soft kiss to her lips, tenderly stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

‘You alright?’ he asked soothingly.

‘Yeah,’ Maddie whispered back, swallowing her nervousness away. 

Tommy seemed happy with her response and began to move back down her body as Maddie shut her eyes in anticipation. He stroked the inside of her thighs teasingly and her breath hitched again when he finally ran a finger up her wetness. Her pussy throbbed and sent shocks through her body with the intimate contact. Maddie didn’t know what to do with her hands and decided to dig her nails into the leather of the mat so she could feel more grounded. Tommy massaged her expertly with his fingers a few times before pushing a finger inside her.

Maddie inhaled sharply and pushed her head back with the sudden feeling of ecstasy and Tommy responded by pushing another finger inside and curling them into that spot that made her see stars. How did he know that was what she liked? Maddie felt a rush of annoyance at Tommy’s luck at getting her hot and flustered but soon forgot about it when his fingers were suddenly gone only to be replaced by his tongue licking a long stripe up her pussy.

‘Oh, fuck!’ sighed Maddie, her back arching up again and her hips pressing down into the mat. She clamped her lips shut again to try and not to cry out in pleasure.

Tommy didn’t hesitate and took her outburst as a signal to immediately start liking and sucking eagerly between Maddie’s legs. He started by dragging his tongue up and down her folds before he began to draw circles around her clit, flicking it once and making her cry out again, more waves of pleasure crashing up her body and making the pit of her stomach begin to tighten. Her hands flew to Tommy’s hair and gripped it tightly, but she let him continue his ministrations. After a minute of this Maddie felt herself beginning to flush and the fire in her stomach beginning to build, the tell-tale signs of her orgasm approaching fast. She began to pant rapidly, whining uncontrollably as she pushed her hips upwards, her eyes rolling back as her release came closer.

Then Tommy’s mouth was gone from between her legs and Maddie opened her eyes to see him rise back up to kiss her, her orgasm receding angrily making her feel almost dizzy. She could taste herself on Tommy’s mouth and she moaned helplessly, her body aching for its release. Maddie wanted to slap him for denying her of her release so cruelly.

Now losing all her patience, Maddie reached down and unbuttoned Tommy’s trousers, shimmying them down and he kicked them off with his shoes that he still had on, followed swiftly by his underwear. Maddie immediately wrapped her hand around Tommy’s cock and began to stroke it rhythmically, determined to get her own back for her denied orgasm. It felt impossibly hard in her hand and she could tell that it was a sizeable length making her grin excitedly against Tommy’s lips. He began to moan deeply as she worked him, the sound making her even wetter and she decided that she couldn’t wait any longer.

‘Fuck me, Tommy,’ pleaded Maddie desperately, releasing her hold of Tommy’s cock and hooking her feet together at the small of his back and pulling his hips down so it rubbed against her clit making her groan.

Tommy looked into Maddie’s eyes; his face contorted with hedonistic pleasure before connecting his lips to hers once again. He kissed her tenderly before moving his hips to position the head of his cock to her entrance. Maddie held her breath as he continued to kiss her, waiting for him to push himself inside her like she so desperately wanted. Finally, he thrust his hips forward and the familiar feeling of fullness sent ripples of euphoria through Maddie’s muscles. The two of them sighed and moaned simultaneously as Tommy began to move in and out at a steady pace, pressing his hips flush against hers with each thrust. Maddie gripped onto his shoulder with one hand and gripped his hair with the other as Tommy gripped her hip and her face as he pushed in and out of her with experienced precision.

They moved against each other seamlessly and blissfully for a while, Tommy picking up the pace gradually as they rolled their hips together. Despite the pleasure, Maddie got the sudden mischievous urge to change their position and hooked her leg around Tommy’s before rolling to the side and flipping them over in one smooth motion. Their lips broke apart and Tommy gave an initially displeased look; but his eyes quickly closed, and his mouth opened in pleasure as Maddie began to grind on him as she straddled him. Maddie picked up a faster pace than Tommy had, and he suddenly sat up and hugged her body tightly to him in an attempt to get her to slow down.

Tommy cursed into Maddie’s shoulder as she continued to lift herself up and down on top of him, ‘Fuck, Maddie slow down.’

Maddie ignored him however as she could feel her orgasm building again in her belly and proceeded grind even faster, her clit rubbing against Tommy’s stomach sending shockwaves of pleasure through her body. Tommy groaned loudly and Maddie could tell that he was getting close to climax as well which explained why he was trying to slow her down. Maddie held his face in her hands, slowing momentarily to look into his eyes before kissing him passionately. 

She increased her rhythm again, Tommy holding onto her waist and lifting her weight up as she ground onto him. Maddie felt her heart ramming against her chest and sweat begin to bead on her skin as her climax approached again. She kept up her pace, the two of them grunting with effort, until the blood surging rush flooded Maddie’s veins and her mind went blank as her orgasm crashed over her. She came hard, calling Tommy’s name uncontrollably as she came undone in his arms. The sound and feel of her orgasm bringing Tommy to the edge too, his hips bucking upwards and Romani words spilling from his mouth as he came inside her before they both went still, panting breathlessly into each other’s necks.

Tommy slowly lay backwards onto the mat with Maddie still in his arms and she rested on his chest for a few seconds before she rolled off him and stared at the ceiling to try and regain her focus. She smiled gleefully to herself after a few seconds of catching her breath; she had just had sex with Thomas Shelby. And fucking hell was it good, she thought to herself as she started giggling. Tommy turned his head to look at her inquisitively, eyeing her up as she tried to stifle her laughter with the back of her hand.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘Sorry,’ she said between giggles. ‘I just can’t believe we finally did that.’ Tommy smirked before sitting up and grabbing Maddie’s dress which he dropped onto her stomach.

‘Well, you’d better get used to it because I plan on doing it again more than once before bed.’

Maddie felt her arousal stir again at the prospect and began to gather her clothes together as Tommy pulled his underwear back on. Then the door opened suddenly again, Maddie covering herself with her dress as Polly took a step into the room, spotting them and rolling her eyes disapprovingly.

‘If you are done fucking in here, we would all quite like to eat at some point tonight.’

Tommy threw her an unbothered glance before she left the room and the two of them began to get dressed. He picked up his shirt and vest and they remembered that Maddie had ruined them in the course of getting them off. She gave him an apologetic smile and he chuckled as he hung the shirt and vest over his forearm. 

‘You can be the one to explain to them why I’ve had to go and change my suit.’

***

Maddie tried to think of a convincing excuse to tell everyone as to why Tommy had gone upstairs to change as she walked to where they were all waiting in the dining room. The afterglow of her orgasm was still making her skin tingle and the hairs on her arms stand up on end, as well as making her head a little hazy. The harder she tried to think up a convenient story the worse they sounded in her head. Maddie found it especially difficult to focus as her underwear still felt damp with her arousal and Tommy’s cum which only succeeded in turning her on again. Being a slayer meant having almost infinite stamina, and infinite libido once the waters began to flow, metaphorically speaking. Maddie’s one saving grace was her stomach which was now growling angrily at her to eat, providing something other than sex for her to focus on. Although, it didn’t help her think of what words to say once she opened the dining room door.

Maddie walked into the dining room to see the entire Shelby family sat waiting at the table impatiently. They all turned to look at her as she entered and most of them smirked and snickered quietly as she walked down the long table towards the seat they had saved for her. Maddie sat on the chair in the space that would be to Tommy’s right hand side and looked down to try and hide her blush as everyone’s eyes lingered on her.

‘Er… Tommy will be down in a minute, he had to go and change his suit,’ said Maddie, smiling sheepishly. John’s snickers became more like laughter and he looked around the table with a mischievous look on his face and Maddie began to glare him down, warning him not to ask but of course it was John she was talking about.

‘Oh, and why’s that?’ he asked with a snort, eliciting laughter from Finn, Michael, Arthur and Isiah as Polly and all the women shook their heads at them unimpressed. They knew damn well why, but John seemed to be getting a kick out of teasing Maddie about it. So, she sat up straighter and sighed, deciding she didn’t much care for stupid excuses anyway.

‘I ripped his vest and shirt off cos I couldn’t wait to fuck him,’ said Maddie, like she had just said the most mundane sentence in the world.  
The table went momentarily silent before everyone raised their eyebrows, smiled and nodded in appreciation of Maddie’s blunt honesty.

‘Thank you for asking for that much needed clarification, John,’ said Polly sarcastically before turning to Maddie. ‘You’re a Shelby at heart Maddie, that’s for sure.’

The table immediately began to engage in chatter as they waited for Tommy, forgetting about Maddie and Tommy’s absence like it was old news. Michael who was sat next to Maddie turned to her with a friendly smile.

‘Tommy asked me on the phone this morning to find a role for you in the company,’ he said. 

‘He did? But I don’t even know if I’ll be able to do any of the work yet.’

‘There’s a few things you could do that are straight forward enough. You can decide what you like the sound of when we show you around tomorrow,’ said Michael with an encouraging smile.

Just then the door opened, and Tommy strode in in a fresh grey suit, already minus the jacket with his shirt sleeves rolled up. Maddie felt her skin flush at the sight of him freshly dressed and bit her lip to subdue the heat rippling under her skin again. She wondered how the fuck she was going to get through the whole evening if just seeing him fully dressed was making her horny. The men all clapped and whooped as he walked in and Tommy held his hand up to quieten them as he walked to his chair and sat down next to Maddie. He gave her small smile which she returned as he lit up a cigarette. The maids came in and began putting plates of food in front of everyone as soon as Tommy had sat down, the smell of the meat catching Maddie’s attention and she snatched up her knife and fork and began to wolf down what was in front of her. Maddie was always hungry, but fucking was one thing that never failed to make her ravenous.

As they ate, everyone engaged in their own little conversations and Maddie made a conscious effort to listen more closely to the goings on of the company. If she was going to be a part of it now, she needed to look like she knew what was going on. However, this was easier said than done as they discussed many different topics, jumping back and forward between them randomly and using words and terms Maddie didn’t understand. She felt her attention begin to falter as Polly began talking about their monthly finances, looking at Polly’s lips move but not actually taking in her words. 

It also didn’t help that Maddie could feel Tommy’s eyes watching her as she tried to pay attention. He had interjected with only one-word answers to any questions that had been asked of him, but he had mostly spent his time smoking and listening to the conversations with a bored expression. However, he was now making Maddie’s task even harder by glancing at her and she made extra effort to turn her head away from him to listen to Michael speak, and pretend like his gaze wasn’t making her skin hot. She debated getting up and moving to sit a few chairs down next to Esme but knew it would be to conspicuous.

As Michael and Arthur started a more casual conversation about horse racing and betting Maddie had to stifle a yawn by clenching her teeth together and inhaling through her nose. Living and working with the Shelby’s was going to be harder that she thought if this was what they spent their time talking about at meetings and stuff. Maddie’s stomach grumbled, the effort she was making to follow the conversations making her hungry again.

Then Maddie felt something touch her leg. A gentle caress of the area in the crook of her knee that was so soft she initially thought she imagined it, but she soon realised what it was. Tommy’s hand stroked the sensitive skin on the back of her knee and calf, making her skin tingle with the tickling sensation. Maddie inhaled steadily to stop herself from gasping. She dared not turn to look at Tommy, afraid that if she did, she would lose her composure and draw attention to herself. When Maddie didn’t react, getting used to the feeling of him caressing her leg, Tommy began to move his hand up to her thigh and under her dress. She stiffened in her seat as his fingers approached her garter, pursing her lips as she desperately tried to ignore him. 

Maddie was usually one for playing games and wondered whether Tommy was getting his own back for all the times she had wound him up. Well it’s bloody working, grumbled Maddie to herself. She imagined that he was getting a right kick out of making her squirm and the thought irritated her. Tommy hooked his finger into her garter, running along it teasingly and Maddie’s mouth dropped open with a little gasp before she grabbed his wrist to stop his movement. His wrist was held fast in her hand, but his finger remained hooked around her garter, pulling it taught so if he let it go it would snap against her leg.

Maddie cursed to herself in her head as she held his hand still under the table in a stalemate. She was looking at Arthur who was speaking but she had stopped listening all together as her mind was focussed on what was happening under the table.

‘Maddie can help with that, eh Mads?’

The sound of her name from Arthur startled Maddie, making her blink and jerk her hand that was gripping Tommy’s wrist. Her garter snapped against her leg with a loud clap causing her to jump slightly. Everyone looked at her with a creased brow when they heard the odd sound and scrutinised her with amused looks as she released Tommy’s wrist and stumbled over her words.

‘What? What was that, Arthur?’ she asked, feeling her cheeks blush scarlet red as Arthur and the rest of the table chuckled at her awkwardness.  
‘Extra muscle for the betting pitches, Mads,’ he said. ‘Show you what we do at the races. You should go to Kempton Park with Isiah and Finn next week; don’t you think Tom?’

Maddie finally turned to look at Tommy and saw that he had an insufferable smug grin turning the corners of his mouth up as he looked from her to Arthur.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘If that’s what you’d like to do Maddie?’

Tommy looked Maddie in the eyes as he asked the question as his hand returned to Maddie’s thigh, only higher this time and squeezed, a devilish glint passing over his blue eyes as he did so. Maddie jumped again as she turned back to Arthur with a strained smile.

‘Ah- yeah sure, that sounds… great,’ replied Maddie, punctuating her last word with a sharp kick to Tommy’s shin.

Tommy inhaled sharply with the impact and removed his hand from her leg before quickly clearing his throat to conceal his sudden display of discomfort. Maddie looked back at him and saw him tensing his jaw from the pain as he lit another cigarette. Serves you right, thought Maddie.

After another five minutes of boring chatter Tommy stood up suddenly and announced for them to all move into the sitting room for stronger drinks, to which everyone agreed to with much relief. As they all walked out together through to the corridor Maddie tried to avoid Tommy, but as they turned the corner leading to the sitting room she felt his hand grasp her arm and to hold her back as the group kept on walking. He pushed her back gently so her back was against the wall, putting his hands on the wall on either side of her head.

‘That kick hurt,’ he said menacingly, holding eye contact with Maddie in a show of dominance. Was he really still playing this game? Maddie scoffed and rolled her eyes at him. She could see how much he was enjoying taking a leaf out of her book and pushing her buttons for the fun of it.

‘Well if you weren’t messing around under the table then I wouldn’t have kicked you,’ she said cockily, raising her eyebrow at him in expectation for his witty response.

Instead his gaze moved downwards to land on her lips before leaning down kiss her roughly, pushing her head back against the wood of the wall. He began to bite at her bottom lip almost immediately making Maddie gasp and she heard a chuckle vibrate in his throat; there was no way she was going to stand for that. She pushed Tommy on the chest, forcing him to step backwards and break their kiss and to look at Maddie with annoyance. Obviously, them having sex for the first time just before dinner was a bad idea; instead of dampening their desire and horniness it had in fact made it worse. Maddie was tempted to push him into nearest room and fuck him again, but she was sure that the Shelby’s would just walk in on them unashamedly this time. So, she went to continue her path to the sitting room, looking back over her shoulder at Tommy.

‘If that’s the game you want to play, then so be it,’ she said seductively as she stomped away from him.

She heard him make to follow her as she walked into the living room and went to sit next to Polly and Lizzie. Lizzie gave Maddie a hellish glare as she sat down but Maddie ignored her, so Lizzie was pissed off, not exactly anything new. Tommy walked in and gave Maddie an indifferent look, as if he wasn’t at all enjoying the little game they’d decided to play. Polly started a conversation about some office gossip to do with a couple of the women that worked at the office and Maddie listened enthusiastically, asking for details about these people she had never met; although the news about one of them being caught kissing her boyfriend in the office last night proved to be quite entertaining. 

Frances came in with a variety of drinks for the room and Maddie nabbed herself a pint of beer and gulped on it hungrily as she heard John call to her from across the room.

‘Oi Mads, come over ere’ he called, beckoning her over with a wave of his hand.

Maddie got up and joined John, Michael, Isiah and Tommy by the window and gave John and Isiah a questioning look as they laughed about some joke they had been talking about as Michael shook his head at them. Tommy looked indifferent to them and looked down at Maddie as she stood next to him.

‘What’s all this about then?’ asked Maddie with a chuckle.

‘So, we were wondering right,’ started John, gesturing comically in front of him with his hands. ‘If you were to get into a fist fight with a bear, would you win?’

Maddie looked at them momentarily speechless, dumbfounded by the immaturity of the conversations of supposedly adult men.

‘How much have you had to drink?’ asked Maddie with a laugh.

‘Is that a no?’ probed John cheekily.

Maddie scoffed and folded her arms over her chest, ‘I wouldn’t put my money on the bear. But for the love of got John please don’t go and get a bear to make me prove it.’

They all laughed at John as he raised his palms up in a defeated gesture before Michael asked Maddie to tell them a story about her most difficult fight. She indulged them in a recount of the battle with a huge hellmouth tentacle demon as part of the successful prevention of her first apocalypse. As she babbled away, she felt Tommy put his hand on the small of her back, his fingers lightly pressing into her skin. Maddie didn’t let herself show any reaction, ignoring the touch and focussing wholly on her dramatic narrative. Just as Maddie got onto describing the creatures twelve tentacles and forty eyes, Tommy began to run his hand up and down Maddie’s spine, making her falter over one of her words but she quickly recovered the train of her story before her listeners could notice. Oh, he will be in so much trouble after this.

Maddie finally reached the pinnacle of her tale, describing how she jumped onto the demon and stabbed several of its eyes with her sword before plunging the blade through the top of its skull to kill it. Meanwhile, Tommy moved his hand down her back again and kept going to glide his hand over the curve of her bum and between her legs to gently squeeze the flesh at the top of her thigh. 

‘So, I was stood on it’s back and ah!’ Maddie yelped as Tommy pinched the sensitive area of skin. She fidgeted uncomfortably on the spot before laughing and making out her little scream was part of the story. ‘Ah! One of it’s huge tentacles whacks me off and I go flying through a window!’

Maddie was thankful that her and Tommy had their backs to the wall as he went to squeeze her ass tightly. She hurried to finish her story before he could do anything else, her audience giving her a clap of appreciation for her thrilling tale. Luckily none of them seemed to have noticed that anything had been amiss, and they soon all moved off to join other conversations in the room.

Maddie removed Tommy’s hand from her backside as soon as she was sure no one was looking before turning around to look out of the window, Tommy turning with her. She glanced up at him as he brought his glass of whiskey to his smug lips, humming out a laugh as he did so.

‘Enjoying your little game?’ she asked pointedly. 

Maddie couldn’t deny she was annoyed that it was considerably easier for him to tease her without anyone noticing than it was for her to do the same. Tommy looked down at her with a victorious expression, his eyes piercing and dangerous.  
‘Absolutely.’

Maddie sneered before she licked her lips, tilting her gaze up to watch Tommy as she moved her own hand over to place it on Tommy’s thigh. He didn’t react, keeping his eyes on the window so she began to slide her palm up his leg towards his crotch. When she reached his cock and palmed it, he closed his eyes and tensed his jaw, his body stiffening as she squeezed it firmly. She grinned happily at getting a reaction out of him, keeping her hand wrapped around his cock so he couldn’t move.

‘Well, now I’m not taking any prisoners,’ she whispered dangerously before releasing Tommy and walking away abruptly. Ha, that aught to drive him crazy. 

Maddie spotted Arthur stood by himself next to the whiskey and stalked over to him. He was rolling his glass in circles in his hands, watching the amber liquid swirl around with a distant look on his face.

‘Why the long face Arthur?’ asked Maddie as she went to stand next to him. Arthur blinked and looked up and her, straightening up and putting on a meek smile.

‘Ah, it’ nothin’ Mads,’ Arthur mumbled, taking a sip from his glass. ‘I’m just thinkin’ about Linda and our baby.’

Maddie recalled Linda talking about her pregnancy with the other women in one of the many conversations she’d sat in on and remembered laughing at the thought of Arthur being a dad. Not that he wasn’t loving, he was just not all there in the head. Then again neither was Tommy, and he was doing a well enough job with Charlie. Maddie had cottoned on pretty quickly that the Shelby brothers were suffering from PTSD in the worst way; she’d recognised the signs that she had herself when she thought too long about the awful things she’d seen over the course of her life. The only difference was, in this time period, their condition didn’t have a name and more importantly the ways in which to cope with it weren’t known. Maddie wished she could help them and take away the horrific memories, but she knew it wasn’t that simple; hers were etched into her brain like an ancient mural carved into marble.

‘You’ll be a good dad Arthur. You don’t need to worry y’know,’ said Maddie, deciding that being supportive was the best way to help Arthur cheer up.

‘Yeah…’ replied Arthur, trailing off and not sounding particularity convinced. ‘Linda wants us to move away from Birmingham when it’s born.’

Maddie swallowed and nodded sympathetically, deciding to play along with this idea. She knew Arthur never moved away from Birmingham so she knew that this idea wouldn’t come to fruition, although she wasn’t sure why. 

‘Oh, well if you two do move away, I’ll come and visit and annoy you and Linda as much as I can,’ laughed Maddie. 

Arthur finally smiled in return and seemed to have been cheered up by Maddie’s encouragement. They chatted idly for a while, Maddie leaning on the cabinet to face the room as she listened to Arthur recount a story from his youth which Maddie only half listened to. She watched everyone else engage in similar conversations around the room and spotted Tommy stood at the opposite side of the room by himself. He was eying her up a ususal and looking infuriatingly sexy as he did so, smoking silently as she watched his eyes travel up and down her frame from across the room. Maddie met his gaze and lifted her eyebrow up at him and widened her eyes, smirking at him as he licked his lips in response. She made sure to keep her head tilted toward Arthur and hummed at the appropriate moments so he wouldn’t notice that her mind was elsewhere. 

Maddie admitted she was enjoying their competition, the added risk of being noticed or caught making it all the more exciting and competitive and a tad bit risky. Maddie bit her lip seductively in Tommy’s direction before sipping on her drink and she watched him inhale deeply before picking up his glass and strolling across the room to where her and Arthur were stood.

‘Eh, Tom. Do you remember when we were kids and we jumped into the cut to race across it?’ questioned Arthur as Tommy walked up to stand with them.

‘Yes. If I remember right you nearly drowned brother,’ stated Tommy. 

‘So, did you,’ laughed Arthur and Maddie giggled at the thought of baby versions of the Shelby brothers flailing around in the canal. 

Just then, Polly’s voice beckoned them over to join the rest of the group. Arthur went and sat next to Linda whilst Maddie and Tommy took a few steps to stand behind the large sofa side by side. The back of the sofa was about waist height, so their lower bodies were hidden behind it. A devious idea sprouted in Maddie’s mind as Polly asked Tommy to enlighten the family on what the plan for the upcoming month was.

‘And maybe you could tell us all about this robbery you’re planning as well, Thomas,’ asked Polly with pursed lips, sharpened eyes and a considerable amount of displeasure.

Maddie’s ears were pricked at the word robbery and she turned to look inquisitively at Tommy who ignored her look and stared Polly down stoically. She wasn’t surprised that Tommy would be involved in something grand like this, but the news made Maddie slightly anxious as she didn’t know about it from her history. It made sense that business like this wouldn’t be made widely known, but she realised that up until that point she had found some security in knowing what was going on to a certain extent.

‘I’m not discussing the robbery, you will all be informed about that in due course,’ said Tommy, making several members of the group huff and roll their eyes in response. Tommy didn’t let that deter him however, and he began talking about more boring business-related chatter that Maddie soon lost interest in listening to.

She took this ideal opportunity to execute her revenge for Tommy’s earlier behaviour. Maddie bent her left leg and twisted her foot behind her to touch the toe of her shoe to the inside of Tommy’s ankle. Of course, he didn’t react and continued his speech, Polly and some of the others intermittently interjecting to ask him questions. Slowly, Maddie began to run her foot up the back of Tommy’s calf reaching his knee before sliding it back down again as she peered up at him to assess his reaction. She watched him swallow once, a twitch rippling across his jaw rapidly as he listened to Michael’s contribution to the conversation. Maddie tried not to smirk as she continued her caress of Tommy’s leg, the signs of its effect gradually appearing subtly on his face and in his hands; his fingers tapping and rubbing his whiskey glass in order to distract himself.

Maddie carried on like this for a couple of minutes before deciding she needed to step it up a notch. Just like earlier, Maddie moved her hand across to Tommy’s thigh and scraped her nails over the wool of his trousers, tickling the skin underneath. He cleared his throat quietly as he continued to talk to the rest of his family, still not letting his voice falter despite Maddie’s assault. Feeling even more mischievous, she dragged her fingers up to Tommy’s groin and, creeping along until her little finger met the bulge of Tommy’s cock. As she did this Tommy had begun speaking again and as her hand started to grasp his crotch he stumbled over his words before turning quickly away from Maddie to walk around the sofa. She snatched the air with her hand where Tommy’s cock had been and clenched her teeth in irritation. He managed to escape, damn him!

However, Tommy went around the sofa and sat in the spot that was directly in front of Maddie, the back of his head sitting just in front of her stomach. She could work with this, she thought, he may think he’s safe, but he’d be wrong. 

Tommy started to sound inpatient and unamused by the conversation at this point and Maddie hoped she would be able to end this game victorious and for the love of god lead to them going to bed at some point soon. She placed her hand on the back of the sofa behind Tommy’s head before gently running the pads of her fingers over the warm skin at the nape of his neck and up into his shaved hair. Maddie remembered the reactions she had gotten out of him when she had caressed that area before and she smiled to herself as Tommy sucked a sharp breath in through his nose as he realised what she was doing. She stroked his head affectionately as she tried to think of what else to do when she remembered the other place that got a strong reaction out of Tommy earlier.

Maddie pushed her index finger along the back of Tommy’s head towards his ear and with the lightest touch possible, tickled the sensitive skin behind it. The reaction was just what Maddie wanted, Tommy froze in place as he fixed his gaze on John who was now babbling away about something or other. His jaw muscles clenched and flexed repeatedly, the only sign of movement in his body other than the slow blink of his eyelids. Maddie reckoned Tommy was beginning to regret playing this game by now as he struggled to ignore her ongoing torture.

Just when Maddie thought Tommy had gotten used to her stroking, he suddenly clapped his hands together loudly causing her to withdraw her hand instinctively.

‘I think that we can discuss this tomorrow,’ he huffed evenly before standing up sharply and marching around the sofa. 

Maddie quirked her eyebrow at him in confusion as he approached her, but he didn’t stop. Instead he snatched her by the wrist as he walked past and yanked her away and out of the door as everyone else watched and sniggered at Tommy’s sudden aggressive display. Maddie could hear their giggling as she was dragged along the corridor and she feared that the Shelby’s hadn’t been so oblivious to their silly game as she believed. By the end of the night however, she had completely forgotten about that as she fell asleep exhausted next to Tommy in his bed with every inch of her skin humming delectably.


	12. Pleasure and Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here!

Tommy ran his hand over the smooth sheets of the bed next to him, searching for the supple warmth of Maddie’s body, but his hand simply skidded over the chilly empty space where she should have been. He dragged his eyes open reluctantly and squinted at the light that had started to peek through the curtains; he turned his head to the side and scrutinised the vacant space next to him. Tommy debated whether he had imagined the events of the previous evening and hadn’t actually fallen asleep with Maddie in his arms, but then he caught the scent of her hair on his pillow and sighed with relief that it hadn’t all just been a wonderful dream.

Tommy remembered the feeling of Maddie’s skin in his hands and the taste or her on his tongue, feeling his blood surging back to his groin at the memory. It had been a long enough wait and Tommy felt the happiest he had been in months; a new sense of peace filled him which meant he had also had the best night’s sleep he’d had in recent memory. Tommy sat up in bed and smiled to himself before swinging his legs out of bed and getting up to check the bathroom for Maddie.

The muscles all over Tommy’s body actually ached, although it was a pleasant satisfied ache. If there was one thing that Tommy should have expected it was Maddie’s impressive stamina, and the woman certainly had an endless supply. If he was being totally honest with himself, Tommy had struggled to keep up with her, something that he had never experienced before with any other woman. He was usually used to being the one in control, the dominant force dictating what happened and manipulating things the way he liked them. However, Maddie had turned that on its head and had led Tommy along a merry chase despite his efforts to the contrary. The game they had played last night had ultimately led to his embarrassing defeat; although he would never forget the look on Maddie’s face as he had fondled her leg under the table. Tommy would definitely be using that trick again in the future.

Tommy wandered into the bathroom and found it empty and he wondered where Maddie had gone before he realised that she would be in her new training room. He had been extremely relieved and glad that Maddie had loved her new space, seeing her smile light up her features after seeing her previously so deflated and bereft of hope was a welcome sight after the hell Maddie had put him through the previous night. Tommy had fretted and paced around that endless night, the likelihood of him vomiting with the stress increasing with each passing hour. He had expected himself to be furious when Ada had phoned to say Maddie had come home, but all he felt was the desire to see her and make sure she was alright.

Now that they knew that Maddie was staying, Tommy was sure it was going to be slightly easier for her with somewhere for her to think of as a sanctuary. It paled in comparison to the watcher’s training room but Arthur and John had done an exceptional job on the room nonetheless; Tommy had been impressed himself when he walked in and saw what they had managed to do in such a short space of time. He expected that Maddie would be spending most of her time in there whenever at the house and if not, she would be out slaying and putting her training to good use.

Tommy got into the shower, washing away the lingering aches and tingling under his skin with the steamy water. When he returned to the room, he saw that it was still early, but they would need to leave for the office soon, so Tommy dressed swiftly before going to find Maddie. As he left, he noticed that Maddie’s clothes were still on his bedroom floor and knew that Frances would be taking great joy in telling the rest of the staff about it for the rest of the day. Tommy hoped that Maddie hadn’t walked through the house completely naked, even if part of him didn’t oppose to the sight, but he noticed that the shirt he had worn the previous night was missing and assumed she had used it to cover herself.

Tommy went downstairs to find Frances dutifully waiting for him in the foyer as ususal.

‘Your family have already left for the morning Mr Shelby. Will you be taking breakfast this morning, sir?’ Frances asked as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

‘Yes, as will Maddie. Have it ready in ten minutes.’

Tommy turned away and disappeared through the old heavy door that lead to the cellar. He could hear the periodic thuds as he walked down the dank corridor towards the training room and knew his hunch had been correct. He pushed the door open and spotted Maddie in the centre of the room with a bow in her hands, pulling the string back loaded with an arrow before releasing it. The arrow embedded into the centre of the target next to numerous others and Maddie turned to smile sweetly at Tommy. He was surprised to see that she was already dressed and groomed for the day and realised that she must have been up for a few hours, which explained why she had gotten up without waking him up as well.

‘Morning,’ she said with a smirk and a bite of her lip. 

I really wish she’d stop doing that, thought Tommy. If she was going to keep biting her lip throughout the day, Tommy was sure he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself for very long.

‘Nice to see you making use of your new toys,’ said Tommy, plucking an arrow from the quiver next to Maddie and rolling the point over his index finger.

‘Not to worry, I’ll have better use of them than collecting dust in some museum,’ she chuckled before putting the bow down and picking up the crossbow by her feet. ‘Sorry for abandoning you in bed this morning. Waking up was another realisation that I’m here and not at home. I just needed to come down here to get in the right frame of mind for the day.’

Tommy hated that Maddie was missing her home so much but was impressed by her level of self-awareness. He nodded his understanding after shrugging off her apology.

‘It’s alright,’ he said before reaching out to grasp Maddie’s arm. He ran his hand down her forearm to take hold of her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers. Tommy brushed her long hair behind her ear with the other hand before leaning down and placing a soft kiss to her lips. He felt like an addict when it came to Maddie’s lips, he couldn’t get enough of the warm velvety feeling of them against his own. In matter of fact, he had enjoyed the feeling of her lips on other areas of his body just as much. This renegade thought caused Tommy’s blood to rush south very quickly and he abruptly cleared his throat and stepped back whilst keeping his face unphased.

‘Breakfast?’ he asked with a knowing quirked eyebrow.

‘Did you even have to ask?’ Maddie laughed before returning the bows to the cabinet and joining Tommy in the walk to the dining room.

They sat and ate breakfast together in silence, Tommy reading the day’s paper rapidly and absorbing anything that may be of use to him but found the information as usual to be dreary or about something he had found out about several days prior. Soon it was time to leave and he and Maddie got their coats from Frances at the doorway as Tommy admired how put together Maddie looked. He was used to her looking a little rough around the edges, if not completely tattered, that seeing her so clean and flawless was odd. She looked beautiful as usual, but Tommy couldn’t help but miss the element of imperfection that made her Maddie.

Frances bowed her goodbye to them as Tommy and Maddie stepped out of the door and into the car waiting for them outside. Tommy began their drive into Birmingham with resolute focus on the road in front of him, but before too long his attention wandered to Maddie and the exposed skin of her calf. She had decided to wear a pair of attractive red heels and a matching deep red dress, the hem of which teasingly brushed her knee as she crossed her legs. Tommy sighed and forced his gaze away before pulling out his cigarettes and lighting one. At this rate, the day was going to progress agonisingly slowly, and Tommy was almost convinced that he wouldn’t be able to wait until they got home before stripping Maddie of her clothes.

‘Do I get a desk?’ asked Maddie chirpily and out of the blue, making Tommy blink and shook him harshly out of a daydream that involved him, Maddie, and his own desk.

‘Yes,’ replied Tommy with a small smile, deciding this was a good opportunity to tell Maddie more about the day ahead. ‘You have a full schedule to keep you occupied, and there’s a family meeting today that I want you to attend.’

Maddie turned to look at Tommy initially with shock which was quickly replaced by nervousness.

‘Erm… okay,’ she stuttered. ‘I know that you’re all fond of me and have called me a Shelby and all but, I’m not officially one.’

Tommy looked at Maddie and considered her for a moment. Indeed, she was right, he was sure certain members of his family will not be pleased with her presence at the meeting, but Tommy wanted her there, whether certain individuals liked it or not.

‘You may not have the Shelby name, but you’re a part of the company and a part of the family so you’ll be at the meeting, alright?’

Tommy realised he sounded more authoritative than he intended but he wanted Maddie to come into the company with confidence, which was something that she would need to survive working for a company like theirs. Tommy was certain that the way businesses were, or rather would be run in 2020 was considerably different to how they were run now, and he wanted Maddie to know that she would be able to adapt as easily as he believed she would.

Maddie raised her eyebrows at Tommy amused before laughing a hesitant nervous laugh, ‘Okay Tommy, you’re the boss.’

When Tommy finally pulled the car up outside the office he looked over to Maddie and gave a her a small smile of encouragement before tilting his head to the side to signal for them to go inside. When Tommy opened the door into the office they were greeted with a jubilant round of applause and cheering, and Tommy turned to see Maddie blush bashfully as she took of her hat. Tommy realised that this was the first time she had set foot in the office since she first appeared and destroyed the place, and he guessed that she was also reminded of that incident as well. 

‘Welcome to the Shelby Company Ltd Mads!’ yelled Arthur over the clamour.

Maddie smiled widely before thanking her fans for the warm welcome once the noise had died down. 

‘Come on, I’ll show you around,’ said Tommy, placing his hand on the small of Maddie’s back as everyone returned to their work.

He guided Maddie around the office and showed her where both the illegal and legal sides of the business were run. Tommy showed her John, Polly and Arthur’s offices and the main room where they took bets. Maddie eyed up the men and women in the office with fascination as they counted money and betting slips, her face evidently betraying that she had no idea what it was they were doing. He realised he’d made the right decision in not giving her work in this area, and recalled her various comments about the differences in money between now and her time since they’d met and knew she would probably struggle with it, at least at first. 

Tommy eventually led Maddie toward the office outside his own where Lizzie and Michael also worked. They passed the new large meeting table on the way and Maddie stopped and chuckled, running her hand over the polished wooden surface.

‘And this is the table you destroyed on your first day here,’ said Maddie, mocking Tommy’s voice as she had done before.

‘Actually, it’s a new table,’ said Tommy with a teasing smirk.

‘Well, I promise I’ll try not to break this one,’ smiled Maddie. ‘Emphasis on the ‘try’ part though.’

Tommy continued to lead Maddie into Michael’s office where they found him bent over some paperwork at his desk. Tommy cleared his throat to announce their arrival and Michael looked up and smiled at them, placing his pen down and standing up.

‘Good morning Maddie, Tommy.’

‘Morning!’ sang Maddie, now looking more excited with each passing second.

‘Let’s show you where you’ll be working eh?’ said Tommy, squeezing Maddie’s arm before walking out of Michael’s office to the empty desk outside Tommy’s office door opposite Lizzie, who looked up venomously at Maddie as they approached. Tommy was well aware that Lizzie was vehemently opposed to Maddie working in the company, even more so about Maddie working so close to her but he didn’t much care for Lizzie’s griping and gave her a silent look to tell her to play nice. Lizzie pursed her lips sourly at him before looking back down at her typewriter.

Maddie walked up to the desk and inspected the items on it which included a typewriter, Shelby Company Ltd headed paper, pens and a notepad before looking back at Tommy and Michael with a happy grin.

‘This is my desk?’ she asked.

Tommy nodded and Maddie smiled again, biting her lip before taking off her coat and hanging it and her hat on the coat stand and walking round her desk to sit at it. She ran her hands over the surface before inspecting the typewriter closely as if looking at it from the outside of a glass case. He and Michael watched her with amusement as she fiddled with the platen levers.

‘Do you know how to use it?’ asked Michael with a laugh.

‘I know how to type. Everyone in the future does, just not on typewriters,’ she informed them with a nervous smile, no doubt hoping that this wouldn’t mean she would be fired form her new job before she’d even begun.

‘Michael will talk you through it and what you’ll be doing today,’ said Tommy evenly.

‘The first item of which we need to be at in an hour. I thought you could take notes for the meeting I have with the manager of a factory in Kings Heath. Start of simple,’ said Michael.

Maddie gave him a wide-eyed look before nodding nervously, ‘Oh ok, sounds simple enough.’

‘You’ll do fine,’ encouraged Tommy. ‘I’ll leave you two to it.’

Tommy gave Maddie one last parting smile which she returned with a little wave before opening the door to his office and disappearing inside. He shed his outermost layer before commencing his usual morning ritual of a healthy shot of whiskey and at least two cigarettes before tackling his itinerary for the day. He decided he was going put aside time to check up on Maddie periodically through the day to make sure she was okay and that Lizzie wasn’t giving her a hard time, but he also hoped there would be a quiet moment at lunchtime to pull her into his office to fulfil the daydream he’d had earlier that morning, his cock already twitching at the idea.

***

Three hours into the day and Tommy finally found the time to get away from his paperwork to check up on Maddie before his meeting with one of the governors of Birmingham City Council, which was thankfully the only meeting apart from the one with his family he had scheduled for the day. He opened the door to his office and initially saw Lizzie looking over her desk toward where Maddie was sat just out of his view. She was glaring at her with irritation as Tommy registered the rapid tapping and clunking sound of typewriter keys with the regular ringing sound of the platen being dragged back and forth. 

Tommy rounded the corner of the doorframe and saw Maddie typing away impressively fast at the typewriter, a neat pile of newly typed sheets of paper next to her on the desk. He raised her eyebrows at her as she typed away just before she looked up and grinned at him proudly, pausing her assault of the keys.

‘How are you getting on?’ Tommy asked, although it was partly a rhetorical question at this point.

‘I think I’ve got the hang of it now,’ replied Maddie before nodding to an untidy pile of discarded sheets of paper on her other side. ‘It took me a few tries to get it right at first but it’s just muscle memory after a while.’

Tommy looked down to the sheets of paper and inspected them, each one an attempt at the same part of the meeting she’d been to with Michael. The quality of the typing was a lot poorer than what Maddie was currently producing, the spaces between the words and the lines were irregular and some of the letters weren’t clear as she hadn’t put enough pressure on the keys to make the imprint on the paper. The lines were slanted diagonally on the page and Tommy noticed several spelling and grammar mistakes. As he sifted through the pages however, he saw that each attempt had improved in some aspect until she had perfected the technique. He then saw a dictionary sat open on Maddie’s lap and she blushed when he reached down to pick it up.

‘Spelling was never my strongest skill at school,’ she said shyly. ‘And they used so many words I didn’t know in the meeting that I had to look them up.’

Maddie’s notepad was also open on the desk and Tommy realised he’d never seen her handwriting before. Evidently, the common practice of making children write out letters repetitively and making them join together smoothly as he had done in school was no longer used in the future as Maddie’s penmanship was unusually large and rounded; it also didn’t slant either and only the odd letter was joined to the adjacent one. Tommy skimmed her notes and saw that she wasn’t lying about the spelling and spotted several errors she’d made, no doubt as a result of her writing at speed. He saw that she had tried to write the word proprietary but had written it as ‘pro-pie-itry’.

Tommy chuckled before handing the dictionary back to her. He wanted to laugh more openly but didn’t want Maddie to feel embarrassed, especially with Lizzie watching.

‘You’re doing good. Maybe you should do the notes for the meeting this afternoon as well?’

Maddie opened her mouth to reply before they were interrupted by Lizzie’s clipped tone.

‘That’s my job, Tommy,’ she stated bitterly.

He and Maddie looked at Lizzie and Tommy heard Maddie shift awkwardly in her chair. Lizzie was an exceptional secretary and Tommy admitted that she had gotten him through the worst of his grieving over Grace, something which he felt guilty for using her for, although he’d never admit it. He knew she was jealous of Maddie, and also a tad threatened he realised. He hadn’t given Maddie an official job title as yet but he decided that making her his secretary and replacing Lizzie would be foolish, as good as a job Maddie was doing so far she would never be able to compete with Lizzie’s intimate knowledge and understanding of the company. An important necessity for the role of Tommy Shelby’s secretary.

‘I’m aware of your job Lizzie, I’m sure Maddie will appreciate the experience just this once eh,’ he stated sternly after a moment’s pause to glare at Lizzie in the eye.

She snorted rudely before turning back to ignore them again and Tommy sighed as he turned back to Maddie who bit her lip and threw him a knowing smirk. There she goes again with that bloody lip. He wanted to bend down and kiss her so he could bite her lip for her but restrained himself, even for him that would be a cruel thing to do in front of Lizzie so he couldn’t help but stare at her lips instead. Maddie noticed and smiled flirtatiously at him in return, altering her posture so she sat more upright with her chest out.

Tommy promptly cleared his throat before nodding to Maddie to signal his retreat. She smiled at him as he trudged back into his office and closed the door again, needing the physical barrier to stop him from devouring Maddie within an inch of her life. Maybe having her work in his family’s company wouldn’t be such a good idea if she was going to present this level of distraction on a daily basis.

Tommy had just enough time to puff away at another cigarette and wash it down with a mouthful of whiskey before there was a knock at the door and Lizzie opened it with a man Tommy recognised as the governor stood behind her.

‘The governor’s here to see you Mr Shelby,’ she announced.

‘Yes, come in,’ Tommy said, beckoning the man in with a small gesture of his hand.

As he entered, Tommy caught Maddie walk across the room to Michael’s door through the still open doorway. She looked over her shoulder towards Tommy and winked provocatively at him. It took considerable effort for Tommy to wrench is eyes away from her so he could look at his visitor in the eye as he stepped into his office. Once Lizzie shut the door, Tommy was soon engrossed in the meeting with the governor and managed to push Maddie from his mind.

The meeting went on for longer than scheduled although, it proved more successful than Tommy initially predicted. It was well into lunchtime by the time Tommy showed the governor out and Tommy’s thoughts jumped to spending some time alone with Maddie before the office filled up again for the afternoon.

When Tommy stepped out of his office door and bade the governor farewell, he saw that both Lizzie and Maddie were not at their desks. He stepped across the room to Michael’s office to find him smoking whilst he worked, creating a grey fog that filled his office from floor to ceiling. 

‘Where’s Maddie?’ asked Tommy sharply, not bothering to knock before entering his cousin’s office.

Michael looked up from his desk and pressed his lips together in a line to suppress a smile before leaning back in his chair and placing his hands together on his lap.

‘She went out for a walk,’ replied Michael. ‘I said she didn’t have to come back until the meeting as she’s already finished what I had planned for her for the day.’

Tommy sighed and tensed his jaw, annoyed that Michael took it upon himself to give Maddie the time off. Not because he thought she didn’t deserve it, but because he had been picturing them fucking in his office for the next hour as well as getting some additional satisfaction in restoring some tattiness to Maddie’s persona as a result. When Tommy didn’t speak Michael spoke again.

‘I also paid her for her first week in advance,’ he said. ‘Seemed appropriate with her not having a penny to her name.’  
Tommy nodded but pinched the bridge of his nose with this news, now certain that he wouldn’t be seeing Maddie for the rest of the afternoon if she had money that she could spend. 

‘Good,’ huffed Tommy before marching back out of Michael’s office and back to his own.

Tommy slumped into his chair and sulked for a while, which for him took the form of chain smoking about five cigarettes whist he sipped at another glass of whiskey. When he finally finished feeling sorry for himself, shaking off his bout of childish bad mood by occupying his mind with an admittedly large list of jobs he needed to complete. However, as the minutes ticked by, Tommy found it harder to focus on the words in front of him as the sound of the clock on his desk ticking patronisingly reverberated in his skull. He couldn’t help but glance at its face frequently, expecting the hands to have rotated further than they actually had. This resulted in Tommy throwing the thing into his desk draw angrily when it told him that the past half an hour had only translated as five minutes according to the clock.

The hours dragged by agonisingly leading up to the family meeting, Tommy going out to speak to Lizzie and Michael a handful of times to find that Maddie was still absent. He rehearsed a few excuses in his head so he could go and look for her but realised that the likelihood of him finding her would be close to none. He hoped that none of the Lees camping on the patch had bumped into her and taken her on a merry tour of the city, although Tommy was sure that Maddie wouldn’t be taken in by such an obvious con.

Tommy marched through the building to the meeting a few minutes early, hoping to find Maddie already there but of course she was absent. He sat at the table as patiently as possible and was eventually joined Polly, who was usually the first to appear at family meetings. She sat at the table next to Tommy and lit a cigarette and much to Tommy’s pleasure didn’t try to engage him in conversation. Eventually other members of the family filed in and sat themselves at the table, leaving only Maddie and Arthur to arrive.

Just as John spoke to ask where they were, the door opened, and Maddie emerged from the doorway with a sheepish smile.

‘Sorry I’m late,’ she apologised timidly like a child arriving late to class.

Tommy felt the unfamiliar yet welcome feeling of joy when she walked in, something which he suspected was going to be a regular occurrence now that Maddie was going to be in his life permanently. He even allowed himself to show a small smile in response to seeing her arrive, not caring if anyone noticed or not.

‘It’s alright,’ chuckled John. ‘Arthur seems to have worse time keeping skills than you Mads!’

Maddie sighed slightly with relief at this news and proceeded to walk over to the chair next to Polly before taking off her hat and placing it on the table. It was then that the reason for Maddie’s tardiness was revealed; he expected Maddie’s hair to fall down onto her shoulders once her hat was gone but now he saw that her hair was above shoulder length with curls and waves put into it which shined glossily in the warm light from the ceiling. Several other members of the table noticed her new hairstyle and complimented her as Tommy felt his heart sink a little. As beautiful and as fashionable as she looked, part of Tommy missed her long locks that had framed her face and would certainly miss the feeling of it in his hands even more.

‘Nice hair do, Mads,’ teased John, laughing and winking at her from across the table.

Maddie thanked her admirers humbly and sat down and pulled out her notepad and pen from her coat pocket and placed them on the table as the door flew open and Arthur finally arrived. He held up his hands in apology as he stomped around the table to sit next to his wife.

‘Nice of you to join us Arthur,’ said Tommy sarcastically and in his ususal deep monotone.

‘Yeah well I’m here now,’ grumbled Arthur, evidently pissed off about something but neglecting to share whatever it was with the group.

Tommy, now that everyone was present, stood up and kicked off the meeting as ususal with the legal side of business and nodded to Maddie to start writing down what was being discussed. He saw her scribbling furiously out of the corner of his eye as he and his family discussed what they had been talking about the previous night with some additional points thrown in. After forty-five minutes Tommy concluded the legal part of the meeting and inhaled in preparation for the final topic of discussion.

‘Finally we move onto the last topic of discussion which I’m sure I don’t have to ask is to be kept strictly off the record,’ began Tommy, looking down to Maddie and she smiled up at him as she put her notebook to one side ready to listen attentively.

‘As you’re all aware, I have been in contact with members of the Russian Aristocracy as part of a job laid out by Churchill himself,’ began Tommy, looking to Maddie to see her eyebrows reaching for her hairline. 

He wanted to assess her reaction to this information, she was the only one present who was in the dark about Tommy’s relationship with the Russians and he was planning on using her wealth of skills to his advantage in some way. The rest of the table nodded impatiently, wanting to know exactly what role they would all be playing in this dangerous game he’d gotten them involved in.

‘They are under the impression that we will steal a number of armed tanks from the Lanchester Motor Company to aid their revolution in Georgia in return for £70,000. However, I don’t trust the Russians to pay up when the time comes so I am currently working on a plan to carry out a simultaneous robbery of their assets,’ Tommy dictated clearly, pausing to allow his family to react to the news.

Most of the looks that were passed across the table were sceptical and amused at best, mostly followed by looks of doubt and apprehension.

‘I thought the Russians were in a considerable amount of debt. What makes you think they have anything to steal?’ probed Polly, meeting Tommy’s eyes piercingly.

Maddie was looking between the two of them with a peculiar look on her face, as if she was deciding what she felt about the situation. Tommy hoped that she would be on board with it, as he was already thinking of how to fit her into his grand plan.

‘Mr Romanov has made it clear that their wealth isn’t in pounds or dollars but in valuable gemstones which I believe are being kept in their residence on the grounds of Hampton Court Palace. I’m planning on getting us a spy inside the house to pass us information on the layout and hopefully keep an ear out for any information.’

As Tommy finished, Arthur and John nodded their understanding, as did Polly after pursing her lips in another doubtful expression. The rest of the family looked considerably less than pleased at being involved in another venture that could possible get them all killed, but this was an opportunity they wouldn’t get again and Tommy would be damned if he would let it pass them by.

‘Details of the plan will be discussed with everyone individually as and when I have decided what their roles will be. I still have talks to attend with my contacts with the Russians and their associated British representatives,’ finished Tommy, wanting to end the discussion there but Linda, much to everyone’s dismay, decided to get a word in.

‘There seems like there’s more to this that you’re not sharing with the group Thomas,’ she trilled in a mock show of innocence and sweetness.

Tommy could almost feel the little contents of his stomach curdling at hearing Linda’s irritating voice but turned his gaze to her, blinking slowly twice before inhaling sharply through his nose to offer his reply.

‘For everyone’s safety, information regarding the robbery will be shared on a strictly need to know basis,’ he stated flatly. ‘That concludes this meeting for today.’

Linda squinted and glared at Tommy for a split second before getting up with everyone else to leave. He kept his cold eyes on hers until she broke away and stormed off, Arthur throwing Tommy an apologetic look as he went to follow her out of the room. Tommy sighed and tried to make his jaw relax before taking out his silver cigarette case.

‘Just when I thought being in a gang actually consisted of a shit tonne of paperwork and boring meetings, you throw a jewel heist into the mix,’ came Maddie’s voice from next to him.

Tommy looked down to see her smiling but shaking her head in disbelief at him. The room had gone quiet, as had the whole office, everyone except those attending the meeting having already left for the day. He heard car engines starting outside and more doors closing somewhere in the building indicating that the last stragglers were also departing for the day, meaning that he and Maddie were finally alone.

Tommy turned to face Maddie without replying and grasped her waist roughly to pull her against his chest. She opened her mouth as if to protest so Tommy quickly brought his lips to hers to quieten her. He kissed her eagerly as he ran his fingers through her new hair, gripping the cropped strands and realising that he did miss her long hair but at least there was still enough to grip in his fist. 

Tommy tilted Maddie’s head to the side and began to kiss and bite her neck instead, grinning smugly when she sighed blissfully in response. He continued to kiss and nibble at Maddie’s skin and lips as he let his hands roam around her body, keen to feel her firm curves and her soft skin in his palms again. The wait he had endured that day had felt more like a week but now he confessed that the wait was worth it.

Maddie, most likely not happy with being dominated so easily, started to graze Tommy’s earlobe with her teeth whilst her hands caressed the back of his head, targeting his weak spots with precision. A rumble sounded in Tommy’s lungs as he faltered momentarily with his lips still hovering on Maddie’s collar bone.

‘You’ve been waiting all day for this haven’t you?’ whispered Maddie into his ear followed by a breathy laugh.

Tommy didn’t allow himself to waver at her teasing and instead began to gather the skirt of her dress up towards her waist and holding it there with one hand started to fondle Maddie’s upper thighs and buttocks which ceased her giggling and elicited aroused mewling from her lips.

‘I wouldn’t have had to if you had been here a few hours ago rather than getting your hair cut,’ taunted Tommy finally in response, pulling back to look into Maddie’s eyes with an arrogantly raised eyebrow.

Maddie made the mistake of rolling her eyes at him whilst biting her lip before pouting at him mockingly.

‘Sorry I made you wait all afternoon for your first fuck of the day.’

Maddie followed her faux apology with another pout and a flutter of her eyelashes and Tommy felt a rush of frustrated anger at her taunting and delivered his punishment in the form of a sharp smack to Maddie’s backside. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt her by any means, but it had the desired effect Tommy was aiming for. Maddie gasped, her mouth dropping open, partly with shock but also with arousal and raised her eyebrow up at him before biting her lip again. Suddenly, Tommy felt Maddie’s hand on his crotch, finding his now marble hard cock and grasping it firmly.

Tommy hissed as she began to rub his erection confidently and as always bested him again by pulling his head down to continue their kissing. Determined to not let Maddie dictate what was going to happen next, Tommy grabbed her thighs and lifted her up and turned to sit her on the edge of the table. She kept their lips crushed together and Tommy tried to separate them unsuccessfully so instead he moved his hand down her waist, hoiking her skirt up again before grasping her silk underwear and pulling it to one side. Maddie whimpered and slowed her kissing as she anticipated what he was going to do next.

Tommy smiled and managed to break his mouth from Maddie’s as he slowly and gently ran a finger over her wetness. They moaned into each other’s mouths as Tommy started to push a finger inside her, relishing in how wet she was in response to his attentions. He placed his other hand on her chest now that she was sufficiently distracted and enveloped by pleasure and firmly pushed her backwards so that she was lying on the table, with Tommy stood between her open legs.

Tommy quickly unbuttoned the front of Maddie’s dress and lifted her brazier up to free her breasts as he began to rub tender circles around her clit. He cupped one of her breasts and mirrored his circling of her clit on her nipple. Tommy prided himself on how efficiently he had learned the layout of Maddie’s body the previous night; he’d mapped out her skin in his brain in relation to what reaction he could get from her when he touched, stroked, pinched, licked and bit a particular area of flesh. 

Maddie moaned loudly as Tommy pinned her down with his precise caressing, her back arching further up off the table with every revolution of his thumbs. He felt her heels press into his backside, forcing him to lean against the edge of the table and loom over her slightly.

‘Tommy…,’ Maddie gasped weakly, her eyelids heavy as she attempted to look up at Tommy.

His cock was throbbing painfully in his trousers, protesting angrily at being neglected up to now and even more blood surged into it and around the rest Tommy’s body on hearing Maddie’s iteration of his name. He was succeeding in making her lose her control, but he failed in containing his short laugh in response. Maddie lifted her head up and looked at Tommy annoyed but he simply smiled at her and relinquished his grip of her breast and began to unbutton his trousers, pushing two fingers inside her and making her head fall back onto the table again.

Tommy managed to free himself with one hand and held his erect cock in his hand. He’d wanted to tease Maddie further before pushing himself inside her, but he made the mistake of looking down and saw her pussy was glistening under the influence of his fingers. Without even thinking about it, Tommy withdrew his fingers from Maddie and replaced them with his cock in one swift movement.

Tommy grunted with the sensation of Maddie surrounding him and shut his eyes and sighed as he began to move in and out of her slowly, wrapping his arms under her legs so he could move her toward her with each thrust and get deeper inside her. Maddie had begun to groan and whimper uncontrollably as Tommy repetitively entered and withdrew from her until she eventually mustered enough sense to sit herself up again, her abdominal muscles tensing and making her feel impossibly tighter. 

Tommy growled and increased his pace as Maddie gripped his shoulder and began to roll her hips against his, causing him to reach new points inside her that he realised she must have been aiming for. Maddie’s chest began to rise and fall deeply and more rapidly, and Tommy could also feel his own breathing becoming ragged as sweat began to make his shirt stick to his skin. Maddie craned her head up and kissed him, drawing his lower lip into her mouth and biting it harshly as they moved their hips together in perfect rhythm. Tommy was ready to reach his climax but he was determined to get Maddie to finish first so he wouldn’t miss her exquisite expression as she came.

Tommy laced his fingers into her hair and pulled her head back to break their kiss and began biting and sucking at her neck aggressively. 

‘Oh fuck – Tommy. I’m gonna…’ moaned Maddie, as Tommy sucked more forcefully on Maddie’s neck and rammed his cock against the spot inside her that was making her almost scream with every thrust.

A handful of seconds later, Maddie reached her climax and was no longer able to from words as ecstasy laced over every inch of her. She squeezed her eyes shut and her eyebrows knit together as a myriad of curses mixed with Tommy’s name tumbled from her lips. The sight of Maddie’s face and the sensation of her pussy pulsating around his cock lead to Tommy reaching his release soon after, his blood swirling through his body violently as he emptied himself inside her.

The two of them collapsed on the table breathlessly, Tommy resting his head on Maddie’s chest between her breasts. He breathed in the scent of her as she placed her hand on the back of his head tenderly, both of them coming to their senses slowly as if sobering up from drinking one to many shots of whiskey. Maddie sighed and they looked at each other with amused smiles.

‘So, was that enough to keep you satisfied to make the drive home?’ taunted Maddie with a bite of her lip.

***

The sex was enough to satiate them for the car ride home, but only just. Maddie managed to occupy them both at first with telling Tommy about her walk around the city and telling him how much it would change over the next one hundred years. Tommy listened to her with avid interest as she explained how the layout of Birmingham was different in her time and what buildings still existed although they had been modified or extended several times. He was particularly shocked to hear that most of the factory buildings by the canal were still standing but England’s production of goods was so severely compromised in the future that these buildings had been converted into living accommodation. Tommy found it hard to picture anyone wanting to live by the canal as anyone who did now were considered the poorest amongst society; but according to Maddie, people who lived there in 2020 were considered fashionable and well-to-do, or as she put it ‘well loaded’. 

As they approached the last five minutes of the journey, Tommy began to get the needing itch to fuck her again. He even reached across to place his hand on Maddie’s thigh as they approached the driveway to silently signal what his intentions were once they were inside. She was evidently thinking along the same lines as she responded by covering his hand with hers and sliding his hand up her leg to her groin making her skirt ride up to reveal the tops of her stockings and garters.

The two of them practically leapt from the car once Tommy had bought it to a halt at the front steps and they wasted no time in getting inside so they could find the nearest empty room. Frances was waiting for them and took their coats as she usually did but Tommy didn’t fail to notice the distressed look on her face as she gathered their things together. Her gaze darted between Maddie and Tommy nervously and she looked as though she was attempting to pluck up the courage to speak.

Tommy scrutinised her with his cool gaze, now becoming concerned that something serious had happened.

‘Frances?’ he prompted evenly, causing Maddie look at him and then at Frances confused, now picking up on the same tension Tommy had noticed.

‘I’m sorry Mr Shelby, but there is a gentleman here who came to the house around midday. I tried to turn him away, but he was quite insistent that he would wait,’ Frances stuttered anxiously, looking down to avoid his glare which he pierced her with.

Tommy could instinctively feel his muscles tense as Frances spoke, fury bubbling up in his stomach at the fact that she had allowed a stranger to wait in the house all day with Charlie so close by. He was already convinced that whoever it was likely from Section D, god forbid that it was the insufferable Father Hughes waiting for him.

‘Did he say why he came to see me?’ asked Tommy pointedly.

‘Actually sir, he said he was here to see Maddie,’ she squeaked, and the two of them turned to look at Maddie who blinked once dumbfounded. ‘He said he was from somewhere called the Watcher’s Council.’

Tommy and Maddie whipped their heads around to look at each other with concerned expressions, he noticed that she had additional signs of fear etched into her face. She swallowed once before looking back at Frances as her expression transformed into one of anger.

‘Where is he?’ she snapped at Frances, making the woman flinch with the harshness of her tone.

‘In the drawing room,’ she replied, barely managing to muster enough volume to be heard.

Maddie turned on her heel and began to march toward where the mysterious man was waiting. Tommy was tempted to scold Frances but only had a second to dismiss her before hurrying to follow Maddie into the drawing room.

As they entered, Tommy spotted the gentleman in question sat on the sofa sipping at a cup of tea. He wore the familiar tweed suits he remembered from his trip to the Watcher’s Council and as he turned to look at them as they entered, Tommy saw he wore a pair of small wired spectacles which slid down the bridge of his nose giving him an awkward demeanour as he pushed them back up his nose as he stood to greet them.

‘Ah, Miss Chapman you’re finally here,’ said the man with a smile and an uncomfortable laugh. 

He stepped up to Maddie and held his hand out to her. She however, folded her arms over her chest and looked down at his hand before looking back up at him with a face of stone.

‘Who are you and why are you here?’ Maddie asked plainly as the man dropped his hand to his side dejected.

Tommy admired the sudden sense on authority Maddie had managed to muster reminding him of why he admired her so, but the debauched area at the back of his brain was focussed on how much sexier it made her appear. However, this wasn’t the right moment to indulge in such trains of thought and Tommy joined her in glaring at the man.

‘Er, apologies… I’m Stephen Gregory. You’re new watcher.’

Tommy had to fight to keep his face neutral but managed to maintain an indifferent air to his features. Maddie however stiffened next to him and sucked in a short breath through her nostrils as Stephen spoke the word ‘watcher’. She remained silent as she regarded him with ire and Tommy took the opportunity to fill the silence as Stephen shuffled uncomfortably, obviously not expecting this reaction from her. Hopefully it would give her the time to gather herself together in order to respond.

‘Thomas Shelby,’ said Tommy, holding his hand out for Stephen to take, which he did with a polite nod. ‘Can I ask how you knew how to find my house?’

Tommy was less than pleased that this man had found his way to his supposedly secure home. It reminded him that he needed to bolster the property’s security as Maddie had suggested before too long.

‘We have contacts who are familiar to you Mr Shelby. They told us where we could find you,’ replied Stephen.

Tommy nodded but he could feel his skin prickling dangerously under his clothes. He would have to find out who had given them this information, if the watchers knew how to get a hold of this address then so would Tommy’s more dangerous enemies.

‘I don’t need a watcher,’ said Maddie suddenly and the two men turned to look at her. ‘So, you can turn your tweed arse around and scurry on back to London.’

Stephen looked as though he had been slapped in the face before he chuckled, no doubt assuming that Maddie was joking. But Tommy knew she wasn’t, and she continued to stare him down until the smile was wiped from his face.

‘But… I was under the impression that you were without a watcher,’ he stuttered.

‘Yep.’

‘Well th-this is quite unacceptable. A slayer without a watcher? Who will train you? Who will give you your orders?’

Tommy huffed a laugh which he could do nothing to contain and Maddie glanced up at him to smirk as well. What possessed these men into believing they could order Maddie or indeed any slayer around was beyond him. But evidently the patriarchy had spread its influence into Maddie’s world and established a tight hold on it as it had in his. Tommy felt he sympathised with her even more now, he knew what it was like to fight against people who thought themselves above you and he cheered for her silently in his head.

‘I don’t take orders. I’m the slayer and I work alone,’ Maddie responded confidently, raising her chin up higher. ‘And I suggest you pass that on as a message to Mr Travers. He’s the one who sent you here correct?’

Stephen looked positively dumbfounded at this point but managed to nod in response to Maddie’s question, having been left speechless by her frankly frightening aggressiveness. 

‘Well what are you waiting for?’ asked Maddie with irritation, beginning to look more and more pissed off when Stephen made no attempt to move as if he were glued to the spot.

Stephen opened his mouth, no doubt to argue with her further but Maddie, now losing her patience grabbed him by the collar with both hands and shook him roughly.

‘Am I going to have to throw you out of here?’

Stephen looked at her wide-eyed in shock and quickly shook his head.

‘No, but I have no way to get –.’

Maddie huffed before grabbing the man’s upper arm tightly and leading him out of the room as Tommy looked on, unsure of what he could do to help but he decided to follow them out nevertheless, not wanting to miss out on the display Maddie was making of Stephen.

She dragged Stephen out into the foyer and then out of the front door to the driveway as he looked positively terrified. Maddie pushed him and he stumbled several steps and looked back at them panicked.

‘How am I supposed to get back to London at this time?’ he pleaded.

‘Not my problem,’ spat Maddie, and began to crack her knuckles threateningly and Stephen recoiled further.

Just then the truck that the stable hands used to get to Arrow House and back pulled around the corner, signalling that they were leaving for the day. Tommy acted quickly and lifted his hand up toward the driver to signal him to stop, he then turned to Stephen and indicated to him to follow.

‘It’s your lucky day,’ he said before walking up to the driver’s side of the van.

Tommy told the driver to take Stephen to the nearest train station as he waved for Stephen to get in the back of the truck.

‘Yes, Mr Shelby,’ nodded the driver and Tommy walked back to stand next to Maddie who was watching Stephen climb timidly into the back of the truck with the house’s staff.

‘And don’t forget to pass on that message!’ she called to Stephen who looked back at her with displeasure.

The truck trundled off down the driveway as Tommy and Maddie watched it disappear into the treeline. He could hear Maddie huffing her breaths as they stood there, and he eventually turned to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

‘Hey, you alright?’

Maddie blinked and shook her head as if she had been daydreaming before turning her head up to look at Tommy with a creased brow.

‘Yeah,’ she breathed before a pause. ‘I’m going to the training room.’

She turned away from him abruptly and approached the front door with Tommy following close behind before stopping and turning back to him.

‘Can I be excused from dinner? I’ll find something to eat later,’ she asked.

‘Of course,’ nodded Tommy, tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.

Maddie smiled appreciatively before continuing inside, she headed straight for the cellar and disappeared through the door without looking back. Tommy sighed and creased his brow; he couldn’t understand how the watchers could leave Maddie so out of sorts. He decided it best to leave her to it and headed to Charlie’s room, the prospect of another evening of fucking regrettably forgotten about.

After checking on Charlie to make sure he was still safe, Tommy spent the evening alone in his office and spent most of it on the phone, making enquiries about how the Watcher’s Council knew so much information about him. He rang the men in London and ordered them out on the street to start asking questions. He had an inkling that Alfie or Sabini’s men had likely given up the information and if they had, it would only be a matter of time before he found out for certain. Tommy also made further arrangements on employing an appropriate spy to place in the Russians household.

When he had finished on the phone, Tommy called for Frances who appeared promptly and looking considerably nervous, probably expecting to be disciplined for her mistake of letting Stephen in the house. She shuffled across his office to stand in front of his desk and waited silently for him to speak.

‘I don’t think I need to remind you of the importance of keeping strangers out of this house Frances,’ he stated coolly as he perused the last letter he had just opened, a cigarette hanging from his mouth.#

He heard Frances’ breath begin to shake before she answered, ‘I’m sorry Mr Shelby but the man was quite insistent, and I made sure he stayed in the drawing room all afternoon.’

Frances made her case shakily and Tommy looked up to scrutinise her and decided that she was telling the truth and had likely learned her lesson from the look of terror in her eyes.

‘It’s alright Frances,’ he said, dropping the letter on his desk and removing the cigarette from his mouth. ‘Did he say how he got this address?’

‘No sir.’

Tommy nodded, expecting that answer and paused in thought for a moment before speaking again.

‘I won’t be having dinner this evening Frances but have the cooks prepare and save something for Maddie. You can go,’ he ordered with a flick of his hand.

Frances bowed her head before scuttling out of Tommy’s office the fastest he’d ever seen her move. He leant back in his chair and sunk deep into thought. What were the watchers planning? Tommy had a feeling they wanted more than just to provide Maddie with a watcher, and he was now certain that they hadn’t seen the last of them. No doubt Mr Travers will be displeased when Stephen returns with his tail between his legs.

Tommy sipped leisurely at a glass of whiskey as he pondered this further, amongst other pressing issues that were causing him his usual unhealthy amount of stress. Once he finished his drink, he got up to pour another and saw the second glass sat next to the decanter and smiled. He filled his glass as well as the second one and carried them both out of his office. He knew Maddie didn’t like whiskey, but if she was going to be living in this household and working for the Shelby Company, she would need to learn to like it if she was going to survive this life. Tommy also found the face she made when she drank it infinitely amusing and would hope it would lead to the relighting of the sexual atmosphere from earlier.

Tommy felt a sense of déjà vu as he walked down the corridor towards the training room, the day coming full circle as he opened the door. He initially didn’t see Maddie but soon spotted her stood upside down in a handstand on the parallel bar. She must have gone upstairs to change as she was wearing trousers and nothing but her brazier on the top. She was holding her weight securely on the bar, her back and legs perfectly straight and as Tommy walked up closer, he could see the definition of the muscles in her arms and back as well as a sheen of sweat that coated her pale skin. She must have been there a while and Tommy guessed it was some kind of endurance exercise as she hadn’t moved or displayed any sign that she had noticed him enter the room.

‘Maddie?’ said Tommy after clearing his throat softly.

Maddie didn’t flinch but lifted her head back to look forward to where Tommy was stood and smiled when she met his eyes.

‘Hi,’ she chirped before shifting her weight onto one hand and balancing there as she opened her legs in the splits.

Tommy knew she was showing off and he admitted that he would never stop being impressed by her strength and agility, despite this he kept his face blank and held up the two whiskey glasses in a gesture.

‘Drink?’

Maddie chuckled before returning both hands to the bar and swinging down and dismounting the apparatus in a backwards somersault, landing a couple of yards away from Tommy.

‘Now you’re showing off,’ Tommy teased, holding out the glass to her.

Maddie giggled guiltily and gave a mock look of offence, placing her hand on her chest and gasping dramatically.

‘Never!’ she sighed as she took the glass from Tommy. ‘Whiskey again? You trying to kill me or something?’

‘You have to get used to it. We may make a whiskey drinker out of you yet,’ said Tommy, giving Maddie a half-smile. ‘It’s good for when you’re feeling angry.’

This last suggestion seemed to convince Maddie and she sipped the liquid with her eyes closed as if tasting a fine wine. Tommy saw her attempt to keep her face relaxed, but her eyes squinted as she swallowed, and the familiar grimace graced her features and she looked at Tommy like he was crazy for drinking it all the time. Tommy laughed a hearty laugh and Maddie joined in but kept the glass and he felt glad that she was intending on finishing it. 

‘Feel better?’ Tommy questioned.

‘Yeah, although I think punching that for half an hour worked out most of my anger,’ she said pointing at the punching bag which was newly secured to the ceiling with an iron chain.

‘And it’s still attached to the ceiling,’ jested Tommy and they chuckled together before Maddie took another sip of her drink.

Even though she was slicked with sweat, her new short hair damp from it and sticking out at funny angles, Tommy admired her and couldn’t help but look her up and down and a tense silence fell between them. Maddie looked down at herself and blushed as she realised that she was barely clothed on her upper body, not that Tommy was complaining. She smiled up at him and bit her lip flirtatiously, which was enough to make him ready to drop his glass on the floor and pick her up and fuck her again. But Maddie’s lips turned into a small frown before she rubbed her stomach and sighed.

‘I think I’ve worked up an appetite,’ she said, laughing at Tommy as he betrayed a look of disappointment. ‘But once I’ve eaten, we can work out the rest of our frustrations in the shower.’

Maddie winked with a smirk and walked off with her glass still in hand as Tommy looked down, smiling as he shook his head before making to follow her to the kitchen.

***

The following week or so went by in rapid fashion so that by the following Monday Tommy felt as though if he had blinked, he could have missed the previous seven days completely. He and Maddie were virtually inseparable for the entire week and any quiet or free moment was spent embracing or more often fucking wherever they could find privacy. They had also begun to explore more sinful forms of pleasure in the quiet of the night together, tucked away in the cosy safety of Tommy’s bedroom.

By Monday morning however, Tommy awoke knowing that he needed a rest. Every inch of his body was sore and his libido had plummeted with it being turned up so high constantly for so long. Maddie however was still insatiable and had rolled over to Tommy as the sun rose and woke him up by kissing and nibbling his neck. Finally, after a whole week, Tommy had to turn her away with an apology and a exhausted look, feeling the most inadequate he had ever felt in years; this had never happened to him before and he found that he disliked the feeling immensely. Maddie initially seemed hurt but didn’t take it to heart in the end, instead using the time they would usually lose to sex in her training room, out riding or visiting Charlie’s yard during their time at the office.

Tommy had formally introduced Maddie to his uncle and Curly one afternoon that week when they walked there together from the office. They had met a few times before but the formal introduction lead to Maddie visiting the yard every lunchtime that week and Charlie informed Tommy that she had helped Curly in the stables and Charlie in the scrapyard, her slayer strength proving to be immensely useful. Tommy had laughed as Charlie told this story and his uncle looked at him in horror and asked him if he was feeling alright.

In truth, Tommy was more than alright. Maddie’s presence in his life had filled a space that Grace had left when she was taken from him. Although, Tommy was well aware that there were parts of him that were still rotten and empty inside, Maddie had taken up house within him and was like a roaring fire inside derelict house, gradually warming up the bricks with her unwaning heat. Tommy had come to think about this more and more over those days and the idea of marriage began to blossom in his head.

However, as a result of them not sleeping together for several days, Tommy and Maddie had spent more time talking on the evenings and when out walking and Tommy had learned more about Maddie and her life than he had since she’d met her. One thing that stuck with him was the fact that women were encouraged to marry a lot later when she was growing up and often didn’t settle until they were in their thirties. As a result, Tommy got the impression that Maddie, being in her twenties and definitely still filled with youthfulness wouldn’t want to marry anytime soon, so Tommy kept the idea to himself and hoped that one day in the future it may be a possibility.

Tommy’s trust in Maddie had however, become absolute and found that he would trust her with his, Charlie’s and any member of his family’s life and as a result he confided in her as well as Polly about the planned killing of Father Hughes. She had listened and had admitted honestly that it made her feel nervous but nevertheless was behind him as she said the man sounded like ‘an absolute prick’ which had made both him and Polly laugh. As Tommy told her about his plan, he realised that she may be of great help to him and asked her if she could be involved. And she agreed, all be it reluctantly.

On the Friday of that week, as the middle of April approached and the weather warmed with each passing day creating a milder atmosphere to the air, a mysterious letter airmailed from America was waiting for Tommy on his desk when he got home. He had inspected it suspiciously before he opened it and had read it with his heart picking up unexpectedly. The sentence ‘It is my regret to inform you that your father Arthur Shelby Snr has passed away’ Tommy had to ready twice to make sure he hadn’t imagined the words.

Tommy swallowed and read the rest of the letter quickly before placing it down on the desk and rubbing his hand slowly over his face. He pulled his cigarettes from his pocket and lit one just as there was a knock on the office door and Maddie stepped into the threshold.

‘Hey, I was wondering if you wanted -,’ she started before cutting of when she noticed the look on Tommy’s face. He imagined that his skin had lost what little colour it had. ‘Are you okay?’

Maddie approached his desk and Tommy drew on his cigarette and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. She continued to look at him with concern before he indicated to the letter on his desk, not wanting to read it again or say the words out loud. Maddie picked up the letter and Tommy watched her eyebrows crease as she read it and a sad look paint her face.

‘Oh, shit Tommy. I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be. He was a terrible father.’

The words left Tommy’s mouth before he could stop them and Maddie blinked and stuttered, clearly taken aback by his harsh words. She opened her mouth, looking like she wanted to say something else in condolence but couldn’t decide on the right words and Tommy found the he was glad she didn’t. He had shared a lot with Maddie about himself over the past fortnight, but his relationship with his father wasn’t one of them. Tommy had spent most of his life preferring to pretend like he didn’t have a father which had been easier than accepting that the one he had abandoned him and his siblings. Nevertheless, Tommy was shocked to feel that the familiar sense of grief tickled the pit of his stomach. It wasn’t overwhelming like it had been with Grace, but it was there nonetheless and after an uncomfortable few seconds of silence, Tommy finally broke it.

‘I need to make some phone calls,’ he said, his voice more deadpan that he intended.

‘Okay,’ replied Maddie with a small nod before turning and leaving Tommy’s office.

Tommy sighed shakily and removed his jacket, rolling his sleeves up before pouring a healthy dose of whiskey and knocking it back eagerly. He knew he had been cold with Maddie just then, but he didn’t want her to see him like this, even after how close they had become. He sat at his desk and picked up the phone receiver and asked the operator to dial him through to Arthur. Tommy knew that Arthur would take it the hardest, even though their father had led to him trying to kill himself a few years ago, so he would tell him first. John would brush it off and Ada and Finn were too young to really remember their father enough to feel much grief.

During the call with Arthur, Tommy could tell he was holding back tears and he managed to offer his older brother some words of comfort, all be it delivered in an icy tone. His other siblings took the news better and John even said good riddance to him. Tommy’s final call to Polly was also the same and Tommy swore he could hear the smug grin on the woman’s face.

When he was done, Tommy felt like the life had been drained from him and he trudged out of his office and to the living room so he could attempt to relax. He opened the door and saw Maddie sat with her knees to her chest on the sofa, reading a book of all things. He had been sure that she hated reading as he hadn’t seen her pick up a book since he met her, but when he saw the title he realised that it was a children’s book and pursed his lips in a smile, his mood lifting somewhat. 

Maddie looked up when he came in and smiled timidly at him before looking down briefly, as if making her mind up about something. Then without a word, she got up and walked over to Tommy and threw her arms around his waist to hug him, resting the side of her face on his chest and squeezing him tightly so that he was forced to huff out a breath. It was an innocent, yet intimate gesture and Tommy let his arms wrap around her waist as he rested his chin on the top of her head. They stayed this way for a while and Tommy let himself enjoy the feeling of Maddie’s warm body against him and the sense of comfort it allowed him to feel.

***

When Sunday arrived, Tommy rose early in preparation for the hunting trip he and his brothers had organised as a farewell to their father. He kissed the still sleeping Maddie on the forehead and dressed reluctantly even though he knew that he wanted to get the morning over and done with so he could put the old man behind him forever.

Hunting, a useful skill to have back when he was a boy, was the only thing their father taught them although Tommy admitted he wasn’t fond of taking the life of animals when he now had a life where he didn’t have to do it himself. The buck he shot was beautiful and an exceptional find which he and his brothers skinned and cooked together out in the open like they had as children, only this time Finn was old enough to join them.

Tommy’s parting words about his father were brief, not wanting to embellish the man with any glory he didn’t deserve. Once the words were off of Tommy’s chest, he felt immediately lighter and pictured the man now far behind him in the past where he belonged. Tommy took the opportunity to speak with the men of the family about the robbery away from the women, particularly Linda, who’s watchful eye wasn’t currently cast over Arthur’s shoulder. He had managed to plan out and finalise the majority of the plan and laid out the dates clearly to them and approximately what shares they would all receive for their participation.

Tommy was keen to get back to Arrow House and to Maddie, knowing that the rest of the day was his own to spend as he liked. However, once back at the house he spotted the grand Rolls Royce that he recognised as Duchess Tatiana’s. Tommy sighed as his brothers circled the car to admire its beauty, Tommy was surprised that the Russians had taken so long to respond following his accusation of Father Hughes as a double agent at their last meeting.

Tommy bolstered himself mentally for the upcoming interaction with the Russian woman. He had concluded early on that she, along with the rest of her family, were dangerously insane and equally as dangerous which made them difficult to deal with at the best of times. Despite this, Tommy remembered that he had been heavily attracted to her at their last meeting, however a certain slayer had entered into the picture since then, and now Tommy’s emotions toward the Duchess were closer to contempt.

When Tommy went inside, Frances informed him that Tatiana was waiting for him in his office. Maddie was nowhere to be seen and Tommy hoped he could speak to Tatiana and usher her out of his house before Maddie even knew she had been there, wanting to avoid the questions she would no doubt have about this odd Russian woman who Tommy knew would try to flirt with him during this meeting.

Unfortunately, luck was not on Tommy’s side because when he went into his office, he discovered Tatiana and Maddie stood opposite each other in the middle of the room in mid-conversation, both sporting fake polite smiles and piercing glares. Fuck, Tommy thought.

‘Mr Shelby,’ greeted Tatiana in her deep Russian accent as he walked in, turning her back on Maddie and fluttering her eyelashes at him. ‘It is rude to keep a Duchess waiting.’

Tommy shifted his gaze between the two women and dreaded what words had been passed between them as Maddie looked like she was ready to rip the Russian’s head off. If it were possible, he was sure steam would be blowing out of her ears she looked that enraged. Tommy paused to think of the appropriate response before replying.

‘It is customary to call ahead when visiting somebody’s home,’ Tommy replied flatly, meeting Tatiana’s eyes piercingly.

She pressed her lips together in an amused smile and stared at him with her large brown eyes. Tommy took out his cigarettes and waited patiently for her to speak, using the silence to control the situation. Luckily Maddie had the same idea and regarded Tatiana silently but also shot Tommy some angry looks and he knew she had picked up on the sexual undertone that Tatiana was radiating. He needed to remove Maddie from the situation before she did decide to use Tatiana as her new punching bag, he would have to deal with the repercussions later.

‘I’m here to discuss business Mr Shelby,’ said Tatiana finally, a smirk lifting the corners of her lips. ‘Preferably without your whore listening like an extra wheel.’

Tommy was glad he had a cigarette in his mouth as he probably would have winced if he hadn’t. He kept eye contact with Tatiana who was now smiling like a jester as he spotted Maddie out of the corner of his eye bristle and whose face turned an ugly shade of puce.

‘Takes one to know one,’ hissed Maddie who dropped her hands to her sides with her fists balled at her sides.

The smile dropped from Tatiana’s face and she twisted her head to stare at Maddie in the eye and the atmosphere suddenly changed and Tommy knew he had to intervene.

‘Maddie.’

Maddie didn’t immediately take her eyes of Tatiana and continued to stare her down for a couple of seconds before slowly moving her gaze to meet Tommy’s eyes. She looked at him with, Tommy couldn’t think of a better word than wrath, but he kept his expression neutral. It was crucial he didn’t show any signs of weakness now and tried to telepathically convey that to her through his eyes, although it was likely she was just staring into the blank eyes of a ruthless man in that moment.

‘Could you give the Duchess and I a moment alone please,’ he said as politely as he could whist still sounding authoritative.

Maddie did one rapid blink before returning to a slow open and close of her eyelids. Her expression remained unchanged, but Tommy could see a mixture of hurt and anger in her eyes as she looked at him. Eventually, Maddie turned to cast one last venomous look at Tatiana before stepping around her and walking out of the room at a measured pace but slamming the door so hard on her exit that the floor shook with the force.

Tatiana chuckled devilishly once the door was shut and waltzed over to the sofa before reclining on it like she was in her own house. Tommy glared at her dangerously, he was close to throwing her out of the door without even finding out why she was there, but his enterprising mind wouldn’t let him.

‘She is quite beautiful, you must pay a good price for her,’ said Tatiana with a tone of seriousness but with an almost definite undertone of seduction.

Tommy found that he despised Maddie being thought of as a whore, the idea leaving a bitter taste in his mouth and it took great willpower for Tommy not to march over to Tatiana and slap her across her smug face. He knew she was trying to get a rise out of him, but he was too experienced in these tactics to let her win. So, instead he ignored her comment like she hadn’t said it and went straight to the point.

‘There’s not much to discuss. The priest is passing on information from the meetings to the soviets, give me permission to kill him.’

Tommy and Tatiana shared short blunt exchanges about the topic, her demanding evidence and him stalwartly refusing until she eventually caved and agreed. Tommy took advantage of the win to try and coax some information about where the Russian’s jewels were kept, and the conversation quickly turned to Tatiana attempting to seduce him again. She adjusted her stockings and lifted the hem of her dress up in an unflattering manner as they spoke, which Tommy pointedly ignored. She picked up on Tommy’s reluctance to engage in her flirting, and as a result let slip about a strong room beneath their house as she retold an anecdote about smuggling jewels out of Georgia in her private parts in a desperate attempt to seduce him. Gladly it didn’t work and for once in his life, John decided to have the most perfect timing in the world.

‘Tom, that car on the drive is somthin’ else,’ he said as he barged into the office and walked up to Tommy who kept his eyes on Tatiana who was now looking considerably frustrated.

John looked around to follow Tommy’s gaze and spotted Tatiana and looked at her with resignation.

‘John,’ began Tommy, pacing slowly over to Tatiana before reaching down to pick up her bag from her lap and reached inside to pull out her car key which he held out in John’s direction. ‘Go and start the Duchess’ car for her, she is ready to make her way back down south.’

Tommy kept stern eye-contact with Tatiana as he said this and held it still until he felt John take the key from his outstretched hand.

‘Alright yeah,’ mumbled John.

As soon as he had taken the key, Tommy turned away from the Duchess and walked out of the room calmly, not offering any polite parting words as he left. Tommy immediately headed to the kitchen where he could hear the rest of the men talking and hoped that Maddie would be in there.

As should have been expected, Maddie wasn’t there, and Tommy’s stomach suddenly felt like it was being tugged downwards into his pelvis. Arthur smiled as he walked in and raised his glass of whiskey up to him.

‘So, what did the Russians want then Tom?’ he asked.

Tommy didn’t reply and instead snatched the glass of whiskey that Finn had just poured for himself out of his hand and necked it hungrily. Finn looked up at him in irritation and made as if to complain but thought better of it when he saw the sour look on Tommy’s face. Arthur looked at the other men around the room before prompting Tommy to speak again.

‘I know where the jewels are being kept,’ said Tommy tersely, pausing as the men looked at each other impressed but still confused at Tommy’s odd behaviour. ‘Where’s Maddie?’

The men looked at each other awkwardly, betraying that they knew something which they wish they didn’t. Tommy looked at Arthur expectantly for an answer, becoming more impatient by the second.

‘She took off across the fields on one of the horses, Tom,’ said Finn, causing Tommy to look down at his baby brother. ‘She looked pretty pissed of an’ all.’

‘Did she say where she was going?’

‘I wouldn’t follow her if I were you Tom, she looked about ready level a mountain,’ said Arthur, correctly assuming Tommy’s intentions. ‘Besides she didn’t say anything, just ran out of the house.’

Tommy sighed and looked up at the ceiling, closing his eyes and running his hands nervously through his hair. He marched over to the window and looked out to see Tatiana turn her car on the gravel fuck off down the driveway. At least that bitch was out of the way, he thought. Just then John walked into the kitchen and gave Tommy a confused look.

‘What the fuck was that all about?’ he asked loudly but Tommy ignored him causing John to scoff and drop himself into a chair at the table in a huff.

There would be no use in looking for Maddie, Tommy knew. He would just have to wait for her to come back in her own time, although he prayed that it wouldn’t be all night like the last time she disappeared. Tommy marched back to his office, leaving his family to stare after him silently. He sat at his desk and did his best to occupy himself with further planning of the robbery but he couldn’t stop himself from getting up every few seconds to look out of the window to see if he could see Maddie returning.

Much to Tommy’s relief this didn’t jinx the likelihood of her return and only half an hour passed before he spotted her mounted figure galloping across the field toward the stable side of the house. Tommy pulled his jacket on and marched out of his office and through the house to exit into the stable yard through the back door; he emerged onto the courtyard just as Maddie clopped into the stable on the back on Luna.

He hurried into the stable and called to Maddie as she dismounted Luna and walked her into her stall. Maddie ignored him as he joined her in the stall and stood next to her. As he did, he noticed that she was covered head to foot wit mud and her clothes were drenched all down her back.

‘Luna threw me off and I landed in a puddle,’ said Maddie as she fiddled with the buckle of Luna’s saddle, predicting what Tommy was going to ask before he did. ‘I think she could sense I was a bit cross.’

Sarcasm was dripping from Maddie’s words and Tommy sighed, trying to think of how to rectify the situation in a civil way.

‘Well you don’t have to be cross now, she’s gone.’

‘That’s a shame, I was looking forward to cracking her skull open on the bonnet of her fancy car,’ said Maddie venomously. 

Tommy gritted his teeth and flexed his jaw; he knew she was upset but he thought this was all a ridiculous overreaction. Nevertheless, he tried to place his hand on Maddie’s shoulder gently to comfort her, but she shook him off and turned to look up at him with furious eyes.

‘Did you fuck her?’

Tommy furrowed his brow at her in disbelief. How could she think something like that? He debated whether it was just the anger talking, but as he searched her eyes, he saw the same hurt he had seen earlier and realised that she truly believed that he had slept with Tatiana. Tommy began to feel angry that Maddie would easily talk herself into believing that he would hurt her that way, especially after everything they had shared together over the last two weeks.

‘Of course not,’ he replied in as calm of a tone as he could manage, although he could feel his temper rising dangerously.

Maddie scoffed, looking away from him and shaking her head.

‘Even after she batted her pretty eyelashes at you. She is royalty after all, I’m just your live-in whore,’ Maddie spat, her eyes now starting to look glassy with the tears building in them.

Hearing Maddie refer to herself as a whore was enough to push Tommy’s temper over the edge and he opened his mouth before he could reign it in.

‘Stop acting like a child!’ he retorted, his voice rising in volume. 

Maddie raised her eyebrows and gritted her teeth in irritation, fighting to stop the tears from falling from her eyes but lost, the first one running down her cheek to drip off her chin.

‘Do you know what she told me?’ she asked in a strained tone but didn’t wait for an answer. ‘She said that men like you couldn’t resist women like her, that you had made it clear to her that you wanted her the last time you met.’

Tommy blew air out of his nose furiously, of course Tatiana had taunted her, made Maddie feel insecure as part of a cruel game. The worst part was it wasn’t a complete lie, the last time he had spoke to Tatiana there had been an undertone sexual tension that, at the time, Tommy had been drawn towards. Now the idea repulsed him, but as a result he had inadvertently hurt Maddie.

‘Do you really believe I would do that to you?’ said Tommy angrily. ‘Yes, Tatiana and I have flirted. But that was before I met you.’

He looked for Maddie to respond, but she was staring at his chest rather than at his face as more tears dripped down her face. Tommy stepped forward and grasped her face firmly with both hands, forcing her to look up to meet his eyes.

‘Hey, look at me,’ he said softly, his anger waning as he wiped more tears away with his thumbs. ‘I love you, Maddie.’

As he said the words, Tommy’s heart felt like it was swelling in his chest and he knew that he meant them. Maddie inhaled a shaky breath and let out a weak sob followed by and chocked laugh.

‘I love you too,’ she whispered, and Tommy’s chest felt like it was going to explode. ‘I’m sorry Tommy.’

‘It’s alright.’

Tommy bought his lips to Maddie’s and kissed her softly, her lips tasting of salt from her tears which were still falling from her eyes, but he didn’t care. They hung onto each other like they hadn’t seen each other in weeks, and it was several minutes before they broke apart.

‘Come on, let’s go inside and have a drink with the others,’ said Tommy.

‘Only after I’ve changed out of this dress,’ Maddie chuckled followed by a hiccup. ‘John won’t let me live it down if he saw.’

***

The following day at the office was interesting to say the least. Linda had decided to take all the women out on strike the previous day which resulted in Polly getting drunk and making speeches of the back of a wagon. Everyone found it all very amusing as Polly nurse a nasty looking hangover that morning, everyone except Tommy who saw it as a definite power play on Linda’s part. An act that Tommy would need to counter if he was to maintain any amount of discipline amongst his family.

However, Tommy found some joy in telling Maddie that Ada would be coming up to visit that evening from London and would likely be waiting for them at Arrow House when they got back. She had moved her visit forward on account of the passing of their father and had wanted to come just to be there. Maddie’s face lit up and Tommy mirrored her smile with his own as she laughed with excitement. Her chest bounced up and down as she laughed, and Tommy couldn’t stop his gaze from dropping to stare at her breasts which he could see more of from the angle he was stood at. He felt his cock throb in his trousers, the first sign of his libido returning after almost a week off. Tommy began to picture what he was going to do with Maddie once he got home and he felt more blood pump toward his crotch.

The events of the previous day had been quickly forgotten and Tommy had been thankful for that. He’d slept with Maddie held tightly to his chest and had vowed to himself to never let her believe that he would ever want anyone else.

The working day went by in a blinding rush, Monday always being the busiest day of the week for Tommy. He had expected them to be working there until the sun had set and that was exactly what happened, the velvety darkness seeping through the windows by the time everyone was ready to leave. As Ada was visiting, all the Shelby’s were staying the next couple of nights, all of them taking Tuesday and Wednesday off in order to enjoy a short holiday at the house. Tommy had agreed to it last minute the previous evening, realising it would be a good way to let off some steam in the lead up to the next couple of months.

‘I can’t wait to see Ada,’ said Maddie halfway through the car journey home, jumping up and down on her seat like an excited child.

‘She’ll be glad to see you. All she did was ask how you were over the phone the other day.’

‘That’s cos I’m so interesting and likable,’ laughed Maddie as Tommy hummed his agreement stoically.

Soon enough, Tommy pulled the car up on the driveway next to Ada’s car that was already there as predicted with the rest of the convoy close behind. Everyone got out of their cars in unison, the atmosphere already feeling so jovial that Tommy could even feel himself being infected by it. He snaked an arm around Maddie’s waist and gripped her hip, pressing his thumb into the soft bit of flesh next to her hip bone. She looked up at him and smiled, her lips pursing and turning up provocatively and he knew she understood what he was after.

‘Let’s get the drinks going!’ bellowed John as he caught up to the two of them as the group approached the house making everyone else laugh and roll their eyes.

Then, as if death had just appeared, Tommy felt the air around him go cold and the hairs on his arms stand up on end. Maddie must have felt it too because she froze to the spot abruptly before whipping her head around to look into the surrounding darkness. Everyone else stopped still as well and looked at Maddie with confusion just as Tommy heard it. A low rumbling growl emanated from the shadows and surrounded them all menacingly. A chill shot through Tommy’s spine and he felt his heart pick up speed, still not able to see what was making the sound.

A footstep on the gravel to Tommy’s left caused him peer in that direction to try and see what it was but it was quickly followed my more footsteps from all around them until eventually he spotted what was causing them. Seven figures stepped up within a few yards of the group, all with disfigured foreheads, glowing yellow eyes, and long sharp fangs. Vampires.


	13. A Close Cut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know you're all fans of the longer chapters but here is a slightly shorter one for you all. I've also tried a new format as it seemed to work for this chapter and want to know what you all think about it. If people like it I'll probably do the odd chapter like this in the future! :)

_-Maddie-_

‘Get inside the house.’

The words came out of Maddie’s mouth, but she couldn’t hear her own voice say them as she felt every muscle in her body become taught as adrenaline started to surge through her veins. The dream that she’d had a couple of weeks ago, the one she had all but forgotten about, appeared in her minds eye as the sickening feeling of déjà vu churned in her stomach.

Maddie counted the vampires and had to bite back panic when she reached the number seven, realising that they had completely surrounded them. Only one vamp was stood between them and the front door however, so the Shelby’s needed to move fast if they wanted to get inside to safety. Maddie then noticed that the Shelby’s hadn’t yet moved, all of them frozen in shock, and some with fear. The low growl of the vampires was slowly getting louder and Maddie saw some of them grinning hungrily at the sight of their dinner. No, they won’t make a meal out of my family, thought Maddie defiantly.

‘Get inside now!’ yelled Maddie, turning to Tommy and shoving him harshly in the direction of the house which caused him to look at her startled. ‘Don’t come out and don’t invite them inside!’

Tommy and his family looked at her wide-eyed and began to tentatively step toward the house as the vampires watched them, not yet moving but Maddie knew that they would any second.

‘Hurry up, do it!’ screamed Maddie now, giving Tommy a look to signal for him to herd the rest of his family inside.

‘Do as she says!’ yelled Tommy, grabbing Finn by the collar and Esme by the shoulder and they all started moving hastily toward the door.

Maddie stayed where she was and was about to pick up a rock to throw at the vamp that was in between them and the front door. But just as she straightened up, she saw Polly, who was leading the group, pull out her rosary and hold it up in front of her. The crucifix was enough to cause the vamp to recoil and step back, as did the other vampires who realised what Polly was holding.

This was enough for the Shelby’s to get past the vamp and into the front door, the second closest vamp snatching at Arthurs coat tails as he brought up the rear of the group, the vampires looking decidedly furious once they were all past the threshold.

‘What the fuck is going on?!’ came Ada’s voice from inside the doorway and Maddie thanked the gods that the vamps hadn’t already gotten to her.

Maddie couldn’t concentrate on that for long though as there was a deadly pause before all the vampires turned to Maddie, now stood alone in the middle of them. She could see Tommy, John and Arthur stood in the doorway of the house as well as the faces of some of the other Shelby’s appearing in the windows on either side of the door.

‘Don’t be too disappointed guys. Slayer blood is what you want anyway,’ taunted Maddie to the vamps before wondering what the hell was going through her head. ‘Too bad you didn’t bring any _weapons_ with you.’

Maddie’s emphasis on the word was enough for Tommy to shove John away into the house and she knew he’d picked up on her request. However, the taunt was also enough to rile up the vamps enough for them to begin advancing one her and Maddie planted her feet firmly into the gravel as the nearest vamp went to grab her with its claws drawn and fangs bared.

Maddie kicked the vamp in the chest causing it to stumble backwards before immediately having to elbow another vamp which had come up behind her in the chest followed by a jab under its chin causing that vamp to fall on its back. Then Maddie felt her arms being held fast, pulled behind her as one vamp on each arm held her still as a third vamp approached and punched Maddie hard in the gut. She grunted in pain but managed to sweep her leg up to kick the vamp in the head before it could punch her again. Maddie struggled to free herself from the other two vamp’s grip before lifting her legs up to her chest, coiling up like a spring before whipping her legs down and backward between the two vampire’s legs, putting all of her strength into her arms throw them down face first into the gravel on either side of her.

Maddie cartwheeled up to standing and gained some space between her and the vampires when she heard John’s voice reach her from where he was stood at the front door.

‘Mads!’

She turned to look just as John threw one of her swords towards her, causing it to arch through the air almost in slow motion. Maddie rolled towards it, dodging two of the vampires which had tried to snatch at her, and stood just in time to catch the hilt of the sword. One vampire, a woman with long blond curly hair was unlucky enough to be within swinging distance of Maddie in that moment as Maddie cut the sword through the air as soon as it was in her hand and sliced clean through the vampire’s neck. The blond vamp disintegrated into dust, and the six remaining vampires snarled furiously at the loss of their companion.

‘Oh, I’m just getting started,’ quipped Maddie before cutting away at the rest of the vampires.

Maddie battled with the six vamps expertly, but not smoothly enough to avoid gaining the odd graze or rip of her clothes. At this rate she would have to replace her whole wardrobe in a month if she wasn’t careful. Maddie managed to decapitate another two vampires during the scuffle, leaving only four to take care of, leaving her feeling considerably more at an advantage.

However, one vamp which Maddie guessed was the oldest, was proving to be more skilled than the rest and unfortunately managed to disarm Maddie of her sword by getting her arm in a lock across his chest and bending it painfully. The sword clattered to the ground as the vamp grasped Maddie by the back of her dress and threw her several yards across the driveway, so she tumbled and rolled to halt at the foot of the front steps.

Maddie looked up to see Tommy looking down at her with what could only be described as panic and terror contorting his face. The sight made Maddie uneasy as she usually associated him with calm and control, the two things which this situation wasn’t. Then she spotted the stake Tommy was holding and held her hand out in instruction for him to throw it to her. Despite his less than collected state, Tommy immediately tossed the stake to her and Maddie did a kick up to stand as the older vampire made it within a couple of feet of her. She spun on the spot to gain some momentum before burying the stake in the vamp’s chest, its sternum cracking as the pointed wood pierced it. Maddie stepped forward a couple of steps, pushing the vamp backwards before he crumbled into dust at her feet.

The last three vampires looked at each other nervously and Maddie knew she had them on the back foot. The rest of the fight would have been easy if the sound of slow sarcastic clapping hadn’t interrupted at that very moment.

‘Impressive. So, it really is true, you’re the new slayer,’ came a velvety sultry voice from the shadows.

Maddie turned to identify the source of the voice and she saw a figure walk out of the darkness from behind one of the cars. It was a vampire, Maddie knew, but her face was fully human with long dark eyelashes and painted red lips. She was tall, at least six foot, and had beautiful long black hair which shimmered in the moonlight. She wore a blood red dress that looked almost black which draped to the floor obscuring her feet. The creature came to stand a few yards directly in front of Maddie, who thought of how much she reminded her of Morticia and wondered if the female stereotype for a vampire originated with this woman. The woman also screamed master vampire from a mile away; how she had remained unseen up until that point and how the other three vamps looked and positioned themselves around her told Maddie that she was a powerful leader. No doubt she had likely sired all the other vampires to create her own gang.

‘Nice to know you’ve heard of me,’ said Maddie, sizing up the attractive vampire with caution.

The way she had said ‘the new slayer’ indicated to Maddie that they didn’t know that she was from the future and there were in fact two slayers at this moment in time, and she decided she wanted to keep it that way. Maddie also wondered how they knew about her and where to find her and was drawn back to the memory of her running a rampage across London and realised it wasn’t surprising that word would have spread about a slayer cutting a swathe across the country’s capital.

‘I didn’t think slayers had friends,’ said the vampire, looking menacingly over Maddie’s shoulder to where the Shelby’s were standing in the doorway.

‘Touch them and you die,’ threatened Maddie, meeting the vampire’s eyes unwaveringly. ‘Not that I’d spare you if you didn’t.’

The vampire chuckled musically and continued to stare over Maddie’s shoulder.

‘So, what do I call the vampire who came all this way to meet me?’ asked Maddie, trying to distract the vampire long enough to come up with a strategy to kill her.

Maddie knew she would be difficult to fight, everything about her emanated power and experience that Maddie would need to match if she wanted to slay her and come out of the other end in one piece. The vampire paused, regarding Maddie with pursed lips before replying.

‘Juliet.’

Maddie snorted out a laugh before she could stop herself and she could also hear John’s distinctive snickering from behind her as well. Juliet didn’t respond in any way and just continued to regard her icily, her face actually beginning to look bored. This wasn’t good, Maddie knew that the fight would start again soon, and she needed to gain an advantage somehow. She glanced at the sword that she had dropped earlier and began to circle around towards it, Juliet turning on the spot as she moved.

‘Is Romeo going to be joining us anytime soon?’ joked Maddie as she made her way closer to the sword.

‘Your jokes won’t get you anywhere. In fact, they will only keep you alive so we can feed off you for longer,’ hissed Juliet, now looking at Maddie with resentment.

‘Really? I thought they were quite humorous,’ smiled Maddie just as she reached the sword before rapidly reaching down to snatch it up and Juliet and her three cronies advanced on her.

Juliet reached her first and swiped at Maddie ferociously before holding up her hand to stop her followers from attacking as they drew closer.

‘No, she’s all mine,’ she hissed before attacking Maddie again.

Juliet was fast and agile, her moves well targeted and measured and Maddie found it difficult to block her, only managing to doge and parry her attacks by the skin of her teeth. Maddie could feel her heart ramming itself against her chest and could feel fear and doubt whispering to her in the back of her mind. Could she defeat this monster? Maddie pushed this from her thoughts just as she tried to swing the sword down onto the top of Juliet’s head.

Juliet brought her hands up and caught Maddie’s hands so that their arms were raised above their heads, the sword hanging above them as they struggled to overpower each other. Maddie grunted as she strained, fighting against Juliet’s immense strength in an effort to bring the sword out of her grip. The significant height difference was causing Maddie to bend backwards uncomfortably as Juliet’s strength started to best her and she knew that this was a loosing battle. Their faces were only a few inches away from each other; they stared each other down and Maddie gritted her teeth as Juliet began to smile mockingly at her.

Maddie thought fast and sucked all the saliva she had into her mouth before spitting it into Juliet’s face, hitting her squarely in the eye. Juliet growled furiously, tightening her grip on Maddie’s wrists so that Maddie dropped the sword again, Juliet’s face contorting and finally changing into her true vampiric visage and in her anger grabbed Maddie by the front of her dress.

In one great heave, Maddie found herself soaring through the air again, only this time she landed on Tommy’s car. Her body crashed onto the bonnet leaving a large dent, the windscreen shattering as her upper body collided with it. Maddie curled up her body slightly in pain and tried to bring herself round as she heard screaming coming from the direction of the house. Her onlookers had managed to remain mostly silent but the sight of her crashing into the car was enough for them to start shouting her name in freight.

Maddie lifted her head up just in time to see Juliet make it to the front of the car with the sword raised, ready to cut her in two. Maddie opened her legs, bending them to quickly hop backwards onto the roof of the car just as the sword cut into the metal of the bonnet between her feet. Maddie stood on the roof as Juliet dislodged the sword and leapt up to join her. Maddie impressed herself by roundhouse kicking Juliet on the side of the head before her feet even connected with the roof of the car. Juliet tumbled off the roof, the sword soaring out of her hands as Maddie quickly leapt from the roof to try and tackle her. However, Juliet was too fast, already on her feet as she caught Maddie as she leapt before throwing her again, the next target being the decorative and non-functional fountain in the centre of the rounded driveway.

Maddie hit the central stone structure of the fountain which collapsed on impact and Maddie felt the broken slabs of rock jab into her ribs as she landed awkwardly on top of them. Maddie couldn’t let herself focus on the pain however as Juliet jumped over to where Maddie lay, looming over her to pick her up by her collar, baring her fangs furiously. Maddie headbutted Juliet in the nose causing her to release her grip on Maddie before she began to punch Juliet repeatedly. The three goons who Juliet had called off began to growl and inch forward, no doubt debating whether to help although they soon didn’t need to.

Juliet blocked a punch aimed at her face before jabbing Maddie firmly in the nose, causing her to bend forward stupidly to feel her face as blood started to stream out of her nostrils. This allowed Juliet to follow with connecting her elbow to Maddie’s back, and the next thing she knew Maddie was face down in the gravel. She heard the shouts and screams of the Shelby’s again along with the patronising laughter of Juliet stood above her. Maddie bought her weight up onto her elbows and knees to try and stand again but this only allowed space for Juliet to kick Maddie hard in the stomach. Maddie considered how fed up she was of being in mid-air rather than on the ground as the force of the kick lifted her up and her back quickly met the driver’s side of Tommy’s car, adding another dent to its body. Maddie was facedown again and knew she needed to right herself quickly if she wanted to live. She managed to get into a crouched position, head still looking down at the ground but ready to stand up straight when she saw the toe of Juliet’s heeled shoe approaching her face.

Maddie felt the foot connect with the underside of her chin and her bottom jaw smacked into her top one as her head flew backwards and collided with the driver’s side window of the car, shattering it. Maddie’s vision went blurry and her ears rang painfully, fully discombobulated as she felt the long slender fingers of Juliet wrap around her neck and pin her against the car.

Maddie’s vision returned just in time to see Juliet look at her victoriously, smiling and mocking Maddie with her eyes as she began to struggle to free herself, gasping desperately for air. Maddie scrambled behind her for something, anything she could use as a weapon and felt the sharp jagged edge of a shard of glass jutting out of the window frame just as a gunshot sounded and a bullet hit the car next to them. Juliet’s grip went slack enough for Maddie to suck in much needed air as they both looked in the direction of the house.

It wasn’t Tommy, John or Arthur who had fired the gun, but Finn which explained why the bullet had missed its target. All the vampires growled in the direction of the house as Tommy and Arthur grabbed Finn and held him back but failed to stop him saying what came out of his mouth next.

‘If you’re all so tough why don’t you come in here and show -,’ Finn yelled before he was cut off by Tommy slapping his hand over his mouth.

‘Finn no!’ screamed Maddie as Juliet cackled, gripping Maddie’s throat tightly again before pointing at the house with her other hand and addressing the other three vampires.

‘Go, kill them all.

The three vamps began to run toward the house as Maddie saw the Shelby’s retreat from the doorway and out of sight before the door slammed shut. It wouldn’t hold the vampires for long and Maddie knew it. Juliet turned back to face Maddie again just as she wrapped her hand around the shard of glass lodged in the door, it sharp edge cutting into Maddie’s palm as she wrenched it free. Juliet gave Maddie one last mocking grin before opening her jaws and tilting her head down to bite Maddie’s neck. Maddie brought her hand up and stabbed the shard of glass into Juliet’s eye, feeling the bones of her skull crunch as she pushed it in as far as it would go, blood spurting out and hitting Maddie in the face.

Juliet screeched like a banshee, releasing her grip on Maddie and bringing her hands up to her face in agony. Maddie kicked Juliet away as she continued to scream and claw at her face and Maddie quickly made after the three vampires. It wouldn’t stall her for long, Maddie knew, and she needed to eliminate the three vamps before they killed everyone Maddie cared about, and before Juliet had time to recover enough to catch up to her.

Maddie caught up with vampire bringing up the rear of the pack and tackled it to the ground, landing on top of it before punching it hard in the face. She spotted a large slab of broken concrete next to her that was part of the destroyed fountain and reached for it as she heard the other two vamps reach the front door and begin kicking it. Maddie raised the slab above her head and slammed it down on the vamp’s skull, crushing it in a more brutal form of decapitation. The vamps body dusted beneath Maddie just as she heard the front door of the house give way and splinter open, the remaining pair of vampires running into the house as screams and yells rang out as they entered.

Maddie scrambled to her feet and sprinted after them, her stomach doing somersaults at what might be awaiting her once she made it inside. She skidded into the foyer just as more gunshots sounded, and she spotted Arthur firing his pistol at one of the vamps who slowed but didn’t stop walking toward him. Maddie grabbed the back of the vamp’s jacket and threw him against the wall behind her, its head hitting the stone before it collapsed to its knees. Maddie turned quickly to find the other vamp and saw it advancing menacingly toward Polly and Ada who were backing up in terror, grasping onto each other in fear. Maddie forward rolled over to the vampire before delivering a sweeping kick to its legs, knocking it over onto it’s back. It quickly stood up again at the same time as Maddie and raised its fist to hit her as a familiar clunking and whooshing noise sounded and the vamp suddenly froze, its arm still raised and fist clenched before disappearing in a cloud of dust. As the dust settled, Maddie spotted Tommy holding her crossbow up, aiming at where the vampire’s heart had been.

‘Maddie!’ came a scream from Ada who pointed behind her and Maddie spun round to see the other vamp getting to its feet.

Maddie marched over to it and grabbed it again before it could make a move and threw it out of the front door, keen to get the fight back out into the open. She turned quickly round to the Shelby’s as the vamp stumbled out of the doorway and onto the gravel.

‘Get in a room and barricade yourselves in!’ she ordered.

The group looked at her hesitantly, Tommy shanking his head in protest, but Maddie needed them to be safe from Juliet for as long as possible, especially if Maddie were to fail. The thought frightened her, but she made sure that it didn’t convey on her face as she looked at them sternly to do as she asked of them before turning back to the door

Maddie managed two steps toward it before she halted again as the figure of Juliet appeared in the doorway looking considerably less that pleased. She stepped up the front steps into the threshold and lifted her head up to leer at Maddie. Her once beautiful face was now half butchered, her right eye now just an empty socket that was still bleeding heavily, the skin around it frayed and hanging off where Juliet had pulled the shard of glass out. She was so angry that her whole body was shaking violently and as she stepped into the light of the house, the sight of her face provoking shrieks from Linda and Esme.

Maddie was so focussed on Juliet’s face that she failed to see John standing with his back against the wall next to the front door so as Juliet stepped into the house he raised a cricket bat to hit her over the back of the head. Where the hell did he get that from? That was all Maddie could think as Juliet, predictably, even with a missing eye was too quick for John. She turned to whack the bat out of John’s hands before backhanding him across the face, like a mother scolding a child. The hit had enough force to knock John to the floor unconscious, his body sliding across the wooden floor to stop next to Esme.

‘John!’ Esme screamed, crouching next to her husband with tears in her eyes.

Maddie felt a fury boil up her oesophagus as she looked down at John and Esme. That does it, this bitch has been alive quite long enough, thought Maddie. Juliet has started to laugh evilly at the sight of Esme and John and was distracted long enough for Maddie to kick her in the stomach.

‘I said you touch them,’ spat Maddie through clenched teeth as Juliet stumbled backwards into the doorway. ‘You die.’

Maddie jumped up and caught the narrow lip of the doorframe to hang there with the tips of her fingers before kicking Juliet again with both legs and with as much force as she possessed. Juliet was thrown backwards with a grunt and fell out of the door and down the front steps to land on her face in the gravel. Maddie dropped down and ran out of the door to descend on Juliet before she could get up, stomping on Juliet’s back with her heel. Maddie went to kick Juliet in the gut as she had done to her a few minutes prior but Juliet managed to block her foot and push Maddie away so she could stand and they began to punch and kick each other in a violent scuffle.

The remaining member of Juliet’s followers was watching the fight from a few yards away, now looking terrified having watched all of his friends die at the hand of Maddie. However, he had enough courage to retrieve the forgotten sword and tossed it to Juliet with a shout. Juliet caught it but Maddie this time grabbed the hilt of the sword before Juliet could raise it, holding it at waist height with the blade pointed toward Maddie as they both fought for it again.

Juliet was now snarling like a rabid dog, her fury overtaking her making her look like a terrifying fanged wolf. The two of them groaned as they wrestled, pushing and pulling each other in a fatal tug of war. Maddie took a deep breath and yanked with all her strength, finally snatching the sword out of Juliet’s grip.

Maddie registered a sharp stabbing pain in her side as she snatched the sword toward her but nevertheless was quick to hit Juliet in the face with the hilt of the sword before pointing the blade toward her. Maddie spotted the fresh blood on the blade just as she swung it in a wide arch in front of her, slicing across Juliet’s chest and face causing her to hiss and snarl again as Maddie followed with the final killing move.

Maddie swished the sword around above her head before connecting the blade with Juliet’s neck. Her head spun off her shoulders and bounced on the ground once before it and her body exploded into dust.

Maddie panted for a second before turning to the last lone vamp who was now looking at her in terror before spinning on its heels and retreating up the driveway. Maddie spotted the stake she had dropped earlier and ran to pick it up; she can’t let this vamp get away, especially now he’s invited inside. In one swift move, Maddie threw the stake which span through the air with a whistle and stuck into the middle of the vamp’s back who tripped over and disappeared in a pile of dust as he hit the ground.

Maddie let out a long breath and dropped the sword at her feet before turning and running back inside the house, now beginning to register the severe pain that was radiating from all over her body. But now was not the time to take in her injuries, she needed to make sure John and everyone else was alright.

‘Is everyone okay!?’ she called as she emerged into the foyer to find all the Shelby’s thankfully in one piece but looking considerably shaken.

‘We’re alright,’ said Tommy who was consoling Polly who was grasping her rosary tight to her chest.

He turned to face Maddie with a relieved look and Maddie sighed with relief, a dizziness coming over her now the adrenaline was leaving her system. She smiled at Tommy in victory, but she was met by an expression of panic as his gaze fell to look at the lower part of her body. Maddie looked at him confused until she began to feel a hot sticky heat spreading down her left side.

Maddie looked down and saw that her left side was stained completely red with blood which was pouring out of a cut in her dress and saturating her clothes right down to her stockings. Maddie blinked as the room quickly began to spin, making her stomach flip upside down.

‘Oh, shit,’ she managed to say as she began to feel her weight being pulled to the ground, her knees buckling underneath her.

Then she was in the warm strong arms of Tommy who had stepped forward and caught Maddie before she hit the floor.

‘Maddie! Fuck!’ she heard Tommy shout before she felt herself become weightless as he lifted her off her feet.

This only proved to make the dizziness worse and Maddie’s vision quickly became fuzzy as she tried to look up at Tommy. Nausea soon followed and Maddie fought to not vomit all over Tommy’s suit. The adrenaline must have stopped Maddie from feeling the wound on her side until now and it started to supply Maddie with and inordinate amount of pain. She yelped and pressed her hand into her side instinctively and could feel the blood still dripping from her.

‘Get her on the table, Tommy!’ yelled Ada, who’s hands brushed Maddie’s forehead as she strode next to Tommy into the dining room.

Tommy lay Maddie on the table who was trying desperately not to scream, before taking her face in his hands and calling to her.

‘Hey, keep you eyes open alright,’ he said softly before turning to his family angrily. ‘Get whiskey, get everything now!’

Maddie tried to focus on her breathing as the pain and dizziness worsened still, gripping the side of the table to keep herself grounded. Tommy gripped her dress where the cut was and tore it open further to clearly reveal the wound and from his face Maddie knew it wasn’t good. His skin when ghost white and he swallowed thickly, unable to take his eyes off what he was looking at.

‘How bad is it?’ hissed Maddie but neither he nor Ada replied, who also looked panicked as she stared wide-eyed at Maddie’s side.

Maddie lifted her head up to look down her body and spotted what they were looking at and quickly wished she hadn’t. On her abdomen, just below her ribs on her left side was a huge gash that looked like it was at least a couple of inches deep and was probably a foot from end to end. If it had been much deeper Maddie’s insides would be falling out her. It was bleeding heavily, and the sight made the contents of Maddie’ stomach jump up her throat. She turned onto her side and vomited onto the floor, which Tommy and Ada narrowly managed to dodge.

Just then Arthur and Polly returned with handfuls of items and placed them onto the table next to Maddie. Tommy snatched a towel from the pile and pressed it firmly against Maddie’s side to stop the bleeding, causing her still more pain. Maddie’s vision was now becoming dangerously blurry and she reached for Tommy who caught her hand in his.

He ordered for Ada to press the towel down and for Polly to prepare the cotton for stitches as he picked up the large bottle of whiskey. He released Maddie’s hand and lifted her head up before bringing the bottle to her lips.

‘Here drink this,’ he commanded before tipping the bottle up and pouring the contents into Maddie’s mouth.

The whiskey burned her mouth and throat and she tried to turn her head away, but Tommy held her head still, not letting her stop until she was forced to gulp down about half the bottle and she coughed and spluttered once he removed it. Maddie felt the heat of the alcohol spread quickly through her system, the blood loss making her constitution considerably less than normal. The pain was lessened somewhat although the room continued to spin dangerously.

‘This is going to hurt,’ Tommy said, brushing her hair out of her face before turning to Ada. ‘Ready?’

Ada nodded and removed the towel before Tommy poured the rest of the whiskey onto Maddie’s wound. Despite the alcohol in her system, the pain was excruciating and burned like she had been stabbed with a white-hot poker. Maddie couldn’t control herself any longer and screamed in agony, ripping a chunk of table off that she was still gripping with her hand causing Tommy to try and shush her by stroking her head gently. Ada replaced the towel with clean gauze-like fabric and pressed down again as Maddie quietened to a whimper.

She looked up at the ceiling and wondered whether the lights had been turned off as the room suddenly seemed darker and realised that she was about to pass out. She tried to force her eyes open, but she could feel her brain trying to swich off and willed herself to stay awake for as long as she could. Tommy grabbed her face and shook it gently to keep her awake, seeing that her eyelids were slowly closing.

‘No, Maddie stay with me!’ he called to her, his blue eyes staring into hers desperately, the calm completely gone from them as he ordered her to stay awake.

It was no use, Maddie held on for a split second longer before her eyes shut, the world going black as she fell into unconsciousness.

***

_-Tommy-_

‘Fuck, no!’ yelled Tommy in desperation as Maddie’s eyes rolled closed.

As her eyes shut, Maddie’s body went limp, her head falling back onto the table as Tommy cupped her face in his hands and turned her head towards him. He shook her gently, but her eyes stayed shut and Tommy moved his fingers to her neck and was relieved to feel a pulse, although it was weaker than ususal. He also looked at her chest to see that she was still breathing steadily and let himself breathe, at least for now.

‘Tommy, we need to close this wound before she loses any more blood,’ prompted Ada next to him who he had nearly forgotten about.

Tommy nodded in agreement before forcing himself away from Maddie’s face, which now looked serene compared to being twisted in pain as it had been a few seconds earlier. Maddie’s earlier blood curdling scream had rattled Tommy’s bones and frightened him to the core. He had forced back the eventuality of loosing Maddie, the thought enough to make Tommy beginning to shut down inside. After the loss of Grace, the possibility of potentially losing Maddie as well Tommy knew would be enough to destroy him. He wasn’t going to lose her now that they had just found each other.

Tommy turned to the gaping wound in Maddie’s abdomen and had to force himself not to close his eyes as fear started to make his hands shake. The bleeding had slowed but if Maddie was going to live, they would need to close it and dress it as quickly as possible. He and Ada rolled Maddie onto her side so she was facing away from them and so they had access to the entire wound. Polly approached with the needle and thread prepared and came to stand in between him and Ada as Tommy took the thread from her.

‘Bring the edges of the wound together,’ he instructed, his voice sounding hollow but measured.

Ada put her hands on either side of the wound and pushed her hands closer together, so the two edges of the wounds met. At least the wound was straight and the edges clean, it would make for a neater repair although the stitches would need to be deep to fully close it securely. Polly assisted by pressing the gauze over the bottom half of the wound as Tommy began to sew up the wound from the top, his hands shaking nervously which prompted Ada and Polly to look at each other with concern.

With every loop he made he watched for a reaction from Maddie, hoping the feeling of being stabbed with a needle would rouse her but she stayed completely still as he stitched her body back together. Tommy had to swallow the acidic taste that rose into his mouth as he methodically made his way down the wound until he reached the bottom, tying off the thread securely before straightening up to assess his work.

The wound had finally stopped bleeding now it was closed but Polly still placed some clean gauze over the top just in case. Tommy leant over Maddie and stroked her face before checking her pulse again. It was much stronger now and Tommy let himself breath again when he heard several footsteps enter the room.

‘Is she going to be alright Tom?’

Tommy looked up to see John, who looked like he had just come round, rubbing his head and looking over at Maddie’s prone body on the table with worry. Some other members of the family entered and covered their mouths at the sight. Tommy scanned the scene in front of him and realised that the answer to John’s question for any outside onlooker would be a resounding no.

The table was covered in blood which had pooled around Maddie, some dripping of the edge and onto the floor next to the puddle of her vomit. Tommy noticed that he and Ada were also covered in blood, the sleeves and front of his shirt completely saturated and what was on his hands drying and making his skin sticky. Then there was Maddie herself.

She looked almost unrecognisable and Tommy had to tense every muscle in his body to bite back tears. Her clothes were ruined, soaked in blood and shredded to pieces. Maddie’s face was the worst part, however; her hair was matted with dried blood from a cut on the back of her head which Tommy had felt when he’d held her head and blood covered her face from where Tommy had touched it and from where her nose had bled. There was a black bruise that spread from the underside of Maddie’s chin to cover her neck and lower half of her face from where the vampire, Juliet, had kicked her in the head. As a result, the black and red figure that lay on the table in front of him reminded Tommy that although Maddie was tough, she wasn’t invincible.

‘I don’t know,’ replied Tommy after a pause, his voice cracking despite his best efforts.

Maddie’s breathing was still steady and strong, but he wanted to get her cleaned up and into bed where she would be comfortable, and he could watch and wait for her to wake up.

‘I’m taking her upstairs,’ stated Tommy flatly before stepping up to Maddie and sliding his arms underneath her.

As he lifted her, she felt worryingly light and Tommy realised how fragile she seemed as she hung limply in his arms. A stark juxtaposition to how he usually saw her. Tommy went to walk past everyone to leave the room when Arthur stopped him.

‘Er, Tom, what shall we do? I mean, what if there’s more of those things outside?’

Tommy looked at Arthur for a moment in thought, considering this possibility and coming up with an order for them to follow. All he wanted was to take care of Maddie, so he knew it would probably be best to leave Arthur in charge.

‘If there were more, I’m sure we’d know about it by now,’ Tommy began. ‘But all of you do a sweep of the house and the immediate grounds just in case.’

Tommy looked at his brothers coldly as he gave his instruction and saw that Finn looked like he was about to argue but Tommy stared him down icily. If he wasn’t holding Maddie in his arms, he would have knocked Finn out for stupidly inviting the vampires inside, and more importantly for nearly shooting Maddie. Although, if it weren’t for that distraction Maddie may well be lying dead on the driveway with all of her blood drained from her body right now.

Without any further instruction, Tommy stepped passed them and into the foyer before beginning to climb the stairs. He looked down and Maddie to check she was still breathing as he heard a rush of footsteps hurrying after him.

‘Tommy!’ called Ada after him, coming to climb the steps next to him. ‘Maybe you should let me and Polly clean Maddie up, you can watch her for the night once you’ve had chance to cool off.’

Tommy stopped and looked at his sister who was giving him a concerned look. He considered her offer but decided he didn’t need to cool off and certainly didn’t want to let Maddie out of his sight.

‘If you want to help fetch some sheets, towels and clean clothes,’ he stated calmly before continuing up the stairs and leaving Ada to stare after him pitifully.

Once upstairs Tommy took Maddie to his room and lay her on the bed, not caring that he would need to change the sheets once he’d finished. He didn’t want to leave her side, but he would have to if he wanted to get what he needed. Once he was confident Maddie wasn’t going to stop breathing the thirty seconds he was gone, Tommy went into the bathroom and filled the wash basin, adding a splash of rubbing alcohol before quickly going back to get Maddie as Ada walked in with a pile of linens and clothes. He didn’t greet her as she entered but nodded for her to follow him into the bathroom once he’d picked Maddie up again.

He knew the process was going to be messy, so the floor of the bathroom was the logical place to clean her up. Tommy rested Maddie on the floor and folded one of the towels to rest her head on. Ada lingered above him as he started with Maddie’s shoes, unfastening the straps and lifting them off her feet.

‘Thank you, Ada. You can go,’ he said, not looking away from Maddie as he spoke.

Ada sighed and paused a moment longer, probably debating whether to ignore Tommy and help him anyway, but ultimately thought better of it and left him and Maddie alone.

As soon as she had gone, Tommy bent over Maddie, grasping her hand in his as tears finally escaped his eyes and trickled down his cheeks. The fear and emotion that he’d barely managed to hold at bay for the entire fight as he watched the woman he loved almost be killed and beaten to a pulp now demanding to be felt. Tommy quickly clamped his eyes shut and drew a long breath in through his nose to stem any more tears before clearing his throat gruffly and turning his attention back to Maddie.

He peeled her bloodied stockings off her legs and tossed them to one side before unbuttoning her dress, tearing the skirt part open to make it easier to remove. Tommy cradled Maddie in his arms as he shimmied the dress off her shoulders and gathered it up and threw it into a pile with the stockings. He lay Maddie back on the floor, now only in her undergarments which were also bloodstained before surveying her body for any more damage.

There wasn’t any part of her skin that wasn’t bruised or cut so that her skin was more purple than white. It was impossible to tell if there were any internal injuries and Tommy guessed he’d have to wait until she woke up to find out if she did. The gauze was still stuck over her wound and he gingerly peeled it off to check on it. It wasn’t bleeding but the surrounding area was covered in dried blood which would need cleaning if he didn’t want the wound to get infected.

After stripping himself down to his underwear so he wouldn’t get the blood from his clothes on her, Tommy began with the wound, dipping a cloth into the basin of warm water and gently wiping the blood from Maddie’s skin until it was clean. Once the blood was gone, he could see that his stitches were neat and the wound was held together perfectly, and he was surprised that he’d managed to do such a good job despite how violently his hands had been shaking. Tommy then moved onto Maddie’s face, keen to clear her features of blood, dirt and dried vomit. He cleaned her face and neck and swallowed as he looked at the ugly bruise on her jaw, hoping that it would disappear as quickly as the previous bruises she’d had. Turning her head to the side, Tommy inspected the cut on the back of her head he’d discovered earlier and was relieved to see that it had scabbed over; he decided to leave her hair as it was until tomorrow and moved on to Maddie’s arms and upper body.

As he washed her from head to foot, Tommy discovered various other cuts, including a deep one her palm, which luckily didn’t require stiches and the realisation of how lucky Maddie was to be alive dawned on him. Anyone else would be dead if they were in her position and Tommy was adamant that Maddie wouldn’t end up like this again if he had any say on the matter. He reached her feet, which felt cold in his hands and bathed them in warm water as well to bring some heat into them before rolling Maddie onto her side. There was another large bruise in the middle of her back and some dried blood but otherwise there were no other injuries. Tommy unfastened her brazier and cleaned the blood from her back before returning her to her back and removing her undergarments completely.

Tommy grabbed the bandages Ada had also brought and dressed her abdominal wound, hastily wrapping the bandages around her stomach like a mummy, not wanting her to be naked for longer than necessary. He dressed Maddie in a long-sleeved nightgown and allowed himself a few breaths now that his task was mostly done, feeling better now that Maddie looked less like an accident victim. Tommy washed himself of any remaining blood in the sink before lifting Maddie in his arms again.

As he entered the bedroom, he saw that the bed sheets had been changed and turned over, realising that Ada must have done it before she left, thanking her mentally as he lay Maddie on the clean bed and covered her with the sheet before climbing in next to her.

Tommy didn’t know what time it was, nor did he care, he would watch her all night to make sure she was alright. He settled his head close to Maddie’s on his pillow and watched her face for a while, resting his hand in the middle of her chest to provide and additional tactile cue that she was breathing. Maddie was calm and still, her face betraying no signs of pain or discomfort which Tommy was thankful for. She had made no movement or noise as he had cleaned her up however and that worried him still; how long would it be before she woke up? This was the worst state he’d ever seen her in and wondered if it could be days before she recovered.

Tommy watched her like this for hours, Ada even coming in to check on them who he dismissed immediately as she entered. Maddie was so unusually still that Tommy was prompted to remember how fidgety she usually was when she slept, often talking in her sleep about whatever odd dream she was having and found that he much preferred her that way, even if it did wake him up in the early hours of the morning

Tommy knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep for fear that he’d wake up with Maddie’s dead body next to him; every time his eyes did flicker shut, they soon snapped open again like after a nightmare. So instead, he resided to laying there listening and watching Maddie attentively, patiently waiting for her to come back to him.


End file.
